18-year-old set on fire by uncle in Bengaluru: Police

The student, Shashanka R, is under treatment at Victoria Hospital with 80% burn injuries, police said

An 18-year-old engineering student in Bengaluru was allegedly set on fire by a gang led by his uncle, who was against his relationship with a girl related to both, police said on Monday.

The accused is on the run, efforts are on to arrest him, police said. (Representational image)

The student, Shashanka R, is under treatment at Victoria Hospital with 80% burn injuries, police said. The boy told police that around 9.30am on Saturday his uncle, Manu, abducted him from Doddabele Road near RR Medical College, police said, adding that he was on way to college and was walking along the Bengaluru-Mysuru Road when a group of men in a Toyota Innova intercepted him, forcibly dragged him into it and sped away.

“In his statement to police, Shashanka said that the accused blindfolded and assaulted him. After driving for some distance, they threw him on the ground, soaked him in petrol and set him on fire,” said senior police officer said. The victim rolled on the ground to douse the fire and managed to contact his friends who rushed to the scene and took him to Victoria Hospital, police said. The victim remains under observation and he remained in a serious condition.

Sub-inpector Sahana Patil and her team reached the hospital to record the victim’s statement, based on which Kumbalgodu police registered a case against Manu and six others under section 307 of IPC (attempt to murder) on charges of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder, police said. The accused is on the run, efforts are on to arrest him, police said. According to police, the attack was triggered by the girl’s visit to the city to meet Shashanka last week. “After finding out the girl was in Bengaluru, her family stormed Shashanka’s house, had an argument, assaulted the boy and took her away...,” a police officer said.