Teenager claims he was set afire for not chanting Jai Shri Ram; police questions claim

A 17-year-old boy claimed on Monday that he was set afire by four men for allegedly not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', but the police questioned his claim, saying the teenager had changed his statements three times.

Mohammad Khalid, a resident of Saiyadraja area, sustained nearly 50 per cent burn injuries.

He claimed he was allegedly kidnapped by the men, who poured kerosene on him and set him ablaze for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' on Monday, they said.

The police rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident and took Khalid to a nearby government hospital. After receiving preliminary treatment there, he was referred to a government hospital in Varanasi.

Chandauli Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh rejected the teenager's claim and said he had changed his statements three times.

"When police recorded his statement in the district hospital, he gave a contradictory reply. He also gave different statements to different people... It seems that he was tutored to mould the issue for getting attention," Singh said.

The police have checked the CCTV footage and are investigating the matter further, Singh said.

He said that strict action will be taken against those who were spreading this "rumour" on social media in an attempt to disturb peace and harmony among communities.