A love affair gone wrong turned fatal for a 16-year-old girl from Kurla who committed suicide on Friday after some youths, reportedly acquaintances of her ex-boyfriend, allegedly stormed into her house and tried to molest her.

Ashwini Raju Kharat, a class 10 student, immolated herself. She died while being taken to a hospital.

Nehrunagar police have arrested Rafiq Mohammed (21), Fayyaz Raees Khan (23) and Javed Abu Bakr Memon (18) for abetment to suicide.

Police said the girl stayed with her widower father – a vegetable vendor, grandmother and four siblings opposite Vivekanand School in Kurla. “As per the family, she had an affair with one of the boys but was forced to break up after her family disapproved. On Friday evening, she allegedly had a fight with her boyfriend after which she returned home. Around 9 pm, some youths came on motorbikes and barged into her first-floor house. One of the girl’s cousins — who recognised the youths as her boyfriend’s friends — tried to prevent them but was beaten up by them. They then went up and allegedly tried to molest her,” said senior inspector P Kale.

The cousin, Pravin Kharat, left to inform the police, but by the time he returned she had set herself on fire using kerosene, police said. Her grandmother was the only family member present at her house then.

“Twelve youths had come on four motorbikes. They were going upstairs when I told him to stay away from my sister. They thrashed me. I recognised Rafiq who used to pass comments at her. These youths used to frequent the snack stall below our house and tease her whenever she left or returned to the house.” said Pravin.

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