CHANDAULI: A 15-year-old Muslim boy was set on fire by four people in Chandauli district when the boy refused to chant "Jai Shri Ram".
The incident took place on Sunday night and the boy has been admitted in Kabir Chaura hospital in Varanasi.
"We have come across news regarding torching of a Muslim boy for not chanting religious slogans in Chandauli. The incident was investigated and found to be baseless, fabricated and malicious. Legal action shall be taken against rumour-mongers on SocialMedia," Chandauli SP Santosh k Singh said.
The condition of the boy with 60 per cent burns is said to be critical. The teenager was set on fire when he refused to chant "Jai Shri Ram". He gave this statement on the hospital's camera.
"I was walking on Dudhari bridge when four men kidnapped me. Two of them tied my hand and the third one started pouring kerosene. After which they set me on fire and ran away," he said.
He later said that he was being forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram". However, the police are treating this whole case as suspicious.
A senior police official in Varanasi told IANS that he was not aware of the incident.
(With inputs from IANS)