Bengaluru college student set afire over love affair succumbs

Bengaluru, July 16

The Bengaluru college student, who was set on fire for falling in love with a girl, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital here on Tuesday, after battling for life for three days.

The deceased was identified as Shashank, a resident of R.R. Nagar.

The police probe revealed that Shashank was in love with the girl, a distant relative from Mysuru, but parents from both sides were opposed to it.

Shashank had taken her to his home on July 3, when she had come to Bengaluru. However, her parents and relatives, who came to know about this, had barged inside the house, attacked him and took the girl with them.

Shashank then forgot her and was going to the college normally. He was dropped to the college by his father Ranganath on Saturday. When Shashank was waiting for the bus to return home, the girl's relatives kidnapped him, tied his hands and legs, poured a flammable substance over him, and torched him.

The victim had somehow managed to make a phone call to his family while he was on fire. He had also sent his location and also to smear his body with sand to douse the fire. However, when the family reached him, he had sustained 80 per cent burn injuries.

The police have taken up the investigation and registered a kidnapping and murder case.