18-year-old dies after stalker sets her on fire, mother suffers heart attack

New Delhi: An 18-year-old woman, who was undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi after allegedly being set on fire by her stalker for rejecting his advances, died on Sunday, police officials said.

"The woman had suffered around 77 per cent burns and was brought to the hospital in a very critical condition. Most of the injuries were on her face and lungs. She died at around 10 am," doctors said.

According to sources, the woman's mother suffered a heart attack after her daughter died and was admitted in the same hospital.

The 31-year-accused in the case is a taxi driver. He attacked the woman when she was returning from college on December 16 in Rishikesh, officials said.

The woman was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh on Monday with 70 to 80 per cent burns. She was flown to Delhi in an air ambulance on Wednesday and admitted to the burns ward at Safdarjung Hospital, officials said.

"The accused poured petrol on the woman and set her ablaze. After hearing her cries for help, locals rushed to the spot and took her to the hospital," police said.

Angry students of the woman's university have demanded capital punishment for the accused who was arrested on the same day the crime was committed.