Upset Father Sets 10-Year-Old Child On Fire Over Studies, Boy Critically Injured

A 10-year-old boy in India was allegedly set on fire by his father for not focusing on his studies. Police said the victim suffered 60% burns.

The father was reportedly upset as his son was not doing well in his studies, the Times of India reported. On the day of the incident, which took place in the southern city of Hyderabad, the father, who was only identified as Balu, sent the boy to buy some things from a nearby store.

When the boy returned home late, Balu became angry. He started scolding the child for not attending his classes regularly, and then hit him.

Police said when Balu was thrashing the boy, his mother tried to intervene but could not save the child. The accused then picked up a can of oil and poured it over the boy. He then lit a matchstick and threw it at the boy, setting him on fire.

The boy reportedly ran out of his house while on fire, and fell into a ditch. Local residents immediately came to rescue the boy and poured water over him. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital.

The local police, who arrested Balu, said the accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

The charges filed against the accused remain unclear. The current state of the victim was also not revealed.

Last month, a father in a fit of rage strangled his toddler for crying continuously. The incident took place in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The accused, identified as 40-year-old Gautam, was upset as the child would not stop crying. Gautam threw the child on the ground in anger and strangled her to death. The child's mother, who was at the scene, began shouting, due to which the neighbors gathered at the residence. Police then arrived at the scene and arrested the child's father. Local media said at the time the accused was a habitual drinker, and had been previously admitted to a rehabilitation center.