Picture used for representational purpose only

LUCKNOW: A man who started pouring petrol over himself to convince a girl about his love ended up sustaining 60% burns, after the latter threw a burning matchstick at the youth, under Hasanganj police station . The 20-year-old youth, Arvind Nishad, is a resident of Khadra area and is in a critical condition at Civil Hospital .

Police said that while the incident occurred on April 20, an FIR was lodged only on Saturday after Nishad’s mother met SSP Lucknow and requested him to take action.

Later, a case of murderous assault against the girl and her mother was registered at Hasanganj police station.

According to the police, Nishad had developed a fancy for a minor girl, who lived in his neighbourhood, and wanted to marry.

“The 15-year-old girl studies in class IX. Even though the girl’s family promised Nishad that they would let the two get married once the former becomes an adult, Nishad didn’t want to wait,” said station house officer of Hasanganj police station, Dheeraj Shukla. In his statement, Nishad told the police that the girl and her mother came to his house to discuss the issue on April 20. When he refused to relent, they got into a heated argument. In a fit of rage, Nishad poured petrol over himself and threatened to set himself afire if they did not agree to his wishes.

“He told police that instead of stopping him, the girl threw a burning matchstick in his direction, setting him ablaze. The girl and her mother fled from the scene. Hearing his screams, Nishad’s mother and neighbours rushed to the spot, doused the flames and took him to the hospital. Doctors say his condition is critical,” said Shukla.

Police said that Nishad’s statement could be used as a dying declaration if he dies.

The SHO said that they did not come to know about the incident when it occurred on April 20. “We came to know about the incident through the hospital on April 22. We Nishad’s mother Neelam, but she refused to speak to us. She said her husband was not in city and the family would lodge a complaint only after he returns on April 26.”

“However, the injured youth agreed to record his statement on April 24, but we couldn’t act on it as a formal complaint had not been filed,” said Shukla.

Instead of contacting the local police, Neelam went straight to SSP Lucknow to register a complaint on Saturday. Her husband did not accompany her and she did not interact with the media. TOI has a copy of Neelam’s complaint.

In her complaint, Neelam contradicts her son’s statement. She alleged that her son and the accused girl had been seeing each other since the past one year, during which the latter’s mother had duped him of Rs 2 lakh and gold ornaments.

She also said that when Nishad started distancing himself from the girl, her family retaliated by setting him ablaze. SSP (Lucknow) Kalanidhi Naithani said it was a complex case. “We are probing the sequence of events,” he said.

