Man tied to pole, set on fire after mosque brawl; cops call incident suspicious

A 20-year-old man was allegedly tied to an electric pole and set on fire by three minors in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district on Friday, police said.

The victim, identified as Mahboob, suffered over 70 per cent burn injuries and is in critical condition. He was first taken to a community health centre and later referred to the district hospital for advanced treatment, officials said.

The incident took place in the Mustafabad Nai Basti area under the Islamnagar police station limits when Mahboob was returning home after offering Friday prayers. According to police, preliminary investigations revealed that he had a verbal altercation with the accused at a local mosque a day earlier.

On Friday, the minors allegedly intercepted Mahboob, tied him to an electric pole, poured petrol over him, and set him ablaze. As the ropes burned away, Mahboob managed to free himself and ran home, screaming for help.

His maternal uncle, Kaisar, told reporters that Mahboob was severely burnt and unable to see due to swelling around his eyes but would be able to identify the attackers once his condition improves.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hirdayesh Kumar Katheria said no prior complaint regarding the dispute had been filed. "Investigations suggest that the victim himself had bought petrol from a nearby pump around the same time. CCTV footage from the pump has been collected, and the matter appears suspicious," he said.

The three minors named by Mahboob have been detained for questioning. Police said further investigation is underway to determine the sequence of events and the motive behind the attack.

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