Mysuru: This story will even move the stone-hearted.

Unable to bear the constant harassment and pestering by a youth, a minor girl attempted to commit suicide by hanging. But death was not instant for her as she remained in a vegetative state for six months while the harasser roamed freely. She finally gave up her battle yesterday and died. Due to trauma and the effects of hanging, the girl entered into a coma and prayers by her loved ones did not help.

This is the story of Rajini, a resident of Rammanahalli on the outskirts of the city. She was just 16 and at time when girls of her age dream of studying well and building a career, she was harassed by Doddaswamy, a resident of Rammanahalli. Doddaswamy used to follow her on her way to college every day and used to pester her to agree for a love affair.

So much was the harassment that Rajini complained to her family members about Doddaswamy and they chided him to mend his behaviour. Enraged by this, Doddaswamy took Rajini’s photographs when she went to attend the nature’s call (most of Rammanahalli villagers do not have toilets at their homes and they resort to open defecation) and threatened her to upload the photos on social media.

He went a step ahead and uploaded his photo along with Rajini’s photo on Facebook and told her that he would upload all her photos if she spurned his proposal. Upset by his behaviour, Rajini attempted suicide by hanging herself with a veil six months back. Seeing her hanging body, her relatives immediately cut the veil and rushed her to a private hospital in Mysuru.

Her condition deteriorated and she was shifted to another private hospital and was later shifted to the K.R. Hospital where the doctors tried their best to revive her. The impact of the hanging and the trauma was so severe that Rajini entered coma and lived in a vegetative state for months.

“When medical intervention did not show the expected results, we desperately prayed and today we have lost our daughter and that too due to harassment by Doddaswamy,” said her family members.

Soon after Rajini attempted suicide, the Police had arrested Doddaswamy and sent him to jail after booking him under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He, however, managed to get bail in just two months and was roaming free while Rajini was fighting between life and death.

With Rajini’s death, her family members have now demanded Doddaswamy be arrested once again and booked under serious offences.