Ranchi, Dec.15: A 17-year-old schoolgirl immolated herself in her house today, apparently because she was being harassed by four youths of her locality, but police are unwilling to call it a suicide as yet.

According to initial reports received by SP rural Asim Vikrant Minz, Monica Tigga, a class X student of Marwari Kanya Pathshala, was discovered by neighbours after they noticed smoke billowing out of her house at Chatakpur village in Ratu, 20km from Ranchi.

When they broke open the door to her room she was in flames. This was at 9 am. They took her to RIMs where doctors declared her brought dead.

“I received information on the incident in the afternoon. But, I haven’t spoken to officer-in-charge of the police station. Hence, I am unable to provide more information,” Minz said.

Officer -in-charge of Ratu police station Satyendra Prasad Singh said so far no FIR had been registered and that he had not recorded statements of the girl’s parents.

He said primary investigations did not suggest Monica committed suicide due to eve-teasing. No suicide note had been recovered. Neither had anyone turned up before the police with a statement.

A local resident, however, alleged that Monica was driven to suicide after being repeatedly harassed by four youths of her locality and that the police had already detained one of them, Anuj Kumar Verma, for questioning.

Monica’s mother, who is a member of the non-teaching staff of the same school, and her father, Dinesh Tigga, who works in Odisha, weren’t available for comment. They were in mourning.