The officer, Aman Chowdhary, and the journalist, Chakresh Jain, were involved in a legal dispute.

A journalist working for a Hindi daily died after sustaining 90 per cent burns in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar on Wednesday. His brother has alleged that he was set on fire by the additional agriculture extension officer and another man.

The officer, Aman Chowdhary, and the journalist, Chakresh Jain, were involved in a legal dispute. Two years ago, a case under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act was registered against Mr Jain on Mr Chowdhary's complaint. The case is in the final stages of hearing.

Denying the allegations, Mr Chowdhary claimed that Mr Jain reached his house in Sagar district's Shahgarh town of in the morning and set him on fire. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital after sustaining 30 per cent burns.

Senior police officer Amit Sanghi told NDTV that Mr Chowdhary, in his statement before a magistrate, claimed that Mr Jain reached his house in the morning at around 8 for discussing the case. Mr Jain, he alleged, poured petrol over him and set him on fire before fleeing.

Nearly five hours later, Mr Sanghi said, Mr Jain was found badly burnt inside a hut by his brother Rajkumar Jain. Mr Jain was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

"Both the incidents are being probed by the police and the two matters have so far been registered under Section 174 of CrPc. Teams of forensic experts have collected samples from both spots and probe is underway," he added.

Mr Jain's brother Rajkumar, however, alleged that his brother told him that he was burnt by two men, including Aman Chowdhary. He also alleged that his brother was alive when he was brought to the hospital, but his dying declaration wasn't recorded.