A stalker set ablaze a 21-year-old woman in Nizamabad on Thursday angry at her spurning his romantic overtures. Musula Naresh, 24, of Pochammagally, had been harassing the young woman, Ch. Gouthami, for last six months and he had tried to kidnap and kill her three months ago.

Though he was arrested and sent to judicial remand he was later released on bail on July 20. On Thursday, Naresh barged into Gouthami’s house with a can of kerosene and sprinkled the fuel on her. Then he set her on fire in the presence of her mother. Hearing the shouts of the women, the neighbours rushed in and extinguished the flames. Meanwhile, Naresh fled from the scene.

Gouthami was then rushed to the district headquarter government hospital for treatment. “Her condition is stable,” said the Town police sub-inspector, Mr S. Srinivas Rao. “She narrowly escaped being burnt alive."

Girl was attacked earlier

July 29: The incident of a girl being set afire shocked the residents of Pochammagally who pointed out that the police was not alert though the stalker had attacked the girl twice earlier. “Police has failed to prevent an attack on her again,” said a friend of Gouthami.

“Instead of merely registering cases against stalkers, police should try to counsel them and prevent attacks.” “My daughter’s life was under threat,” said Gouthami’s mother. “Naresh had targeted her and attacked her twice. We were shocked today as he directly came to our house and attacked Gouthami in my presence.”

She added that the family would approach the superintendent of police for stringent action against the youth.