A carnival queen died in agony when her boyfriend doused her with petrol and then set her on fire, according to police in Colombia.

Evis Yuliana Estacio Cortes, 21, sustained second- and third-degree burns in the horror attack in the village of Barbacoas, Narino Department, on 31st July.

She was first taken to the Puente del Medio clinic in nearby Tumaco and later referred to the University Hospital in Pasto.

Organisations had started fundraising to pay for her transfer to and treatment in a more specialised health centre in Cali, but by then it was too late.

Due to the severity of her injuries and despite medics’ best efforts, she passed away at noon on Tuesday, 2nd August.

Her attacker was identified only by the first name Brayan in local reports. Friends and family of the victim described the couple’s relationship as stormy.

The victim’s friend Rosita Quintero told local media: “What we have been able to learn is that she had an altercation in the afternoon with her boyfriend, we do not know the reasons, we learnt that he hit her repeatedly and, finally, he threw petrol on her and set her on fire. She suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body.”

The authorities in Tumaco are reportedly searching for the suspect, who is wanted on suspicion of femicide.

Yuliana had taken part in the carnival queen pageant at the boisterous Carnaval del Fuego (Fire Carnival) in Tumaco in 2019.

Her funeral was held in the city on Thursday. It was followed by a tribute to her and other local femicide victims.