Engineering student suffers burns in hostel

A second semester engineering student is fighting for his life in hospital with 67 per cent burns that he reportedly sustained in “an accidental fire” at a college hostel on Thursday. 

Mystery shrouds the incident, for the victim is vague about the “accident.”  At times, he says ragging had led to the “accident.”  

Ajmal, 20, a civil engineering student of Sha-Shib Engineering College, Peresandra, Chikkaballapur, was in the wash room at 10:30 pm when the  fire reportedly engulfed him. He was later admitted to the burns ward of Victoria Hospital.

Dr Ramesh, DCP north-east, said Ajmal had been changing his versions frequently.

Ajmal’s father suspects that his son was a victim of ragging. A B Khadar, general secretary of Malabar Muslim Association and Ajmal’s guardian, told Deccan Herald that the boy was not clear about what happened on Thursday night. 

According to Dr K T Ramesh from the burns ward, Ajmal said he “was dragged to the bathroom. Later, someone reportedly poured kerosene on him and set him on fire. He has suffered burns on his chest, abdomen, back and lower limbs.”

In a recorded statement to the Chikkajala police, Ajmal has stated that he was taken to the toilet where “thinner” was poured on him. Later, he was set on fire.

The boy has not named anyone. The police have registered an attempt-to-murder case.

Ajmal is from Kannur in Kerala. The arrival of his father from Dubai on Sunday has given a new twist to the case. According to his father, four months ago, three senior students, also from Kerala, had threatened Ajmal and taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from him. He suspects that the three senior boys had a hand in the death of Ajmal. 

The police stated that Ajmal had been staying at the Chikkajala hostel, which houses only first year students, for long. No seniors were present there when the incident occurred. 

Police sources said the three suspects had been summoned for questioning. The three students had been in Kerala for a month.

Chain snatching

An unidentified miscreant, riding pillion on a two-wheeler, snatched a 70-gm gold chain from Gayatri, who was riding pillion on her husband’s two-wheeler, near Khoday’s Circle in Cottonpet police limits Saturday night. 

The incident occurred when the victim’s husband slowed the vehicle below the railway bridge. A case has been registered with the police.

Two unidentified persons, who came in an auto, snatched a 55-gm gold chain from Jyothi, when she was returning home after buying milk, in Vijaynagar police limits Sunday morning. Police have registered a case.