17-year-old Muslim boy set ablaze for 'not chanting' Jai Shri Ram dies in UP

A 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly set on fire in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district two days ago for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, the police said. Mohammad Khalid, a resident of Saiyad Raja town, around 350 km southeast of Lucknow, had alleged that he was kidnapped on Sunday by four men, who poured kerosene and set him set on fire for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', a charge denied by the police.

Khalid, who sustained nearly 50 per cent burn injuries, was admitted to a nearby hospital and then referred to government hospital in Varanasi. He died in the morning, the police said. The deceased's father also alleged that his son was set afire for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram.

Chandauli Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh, however, had denied the allegation and said the teenager changed his statements three times.

"When the police recorded his statement in the district hospital, he gave contradictory replies. He also gave different statements to different people," Singh said.

"It seems that he had been tutored to mould the issue to get attention," the SP claimed, adding that the police had checked the CCTV footage and an investigation was on.