A 19-year-old BCom student was set on fire in broad daylight outside Hindu College in Moradabad on Thursday afternoon, shortly after completing an examination, police said.
The victim, Farhad Ali, had just stepped out of the examination centre when two students from the same college allegedly hurled a flammable substance at him near the college gate. The accused have been identified as Aarush Singh, 21, a BA third-semester student, and Deepak Kumar, 20. Both are currently absconding.
Witnesses said flames engulfed Farhad’s clothes as students and passersby rushed to help. Several people used water bottles and cloth to douse the fire, while others shouted for assistance. The incident caused panic in the area and led to a heavy police deployment around the campus.
Police said Farhad sustained around eight percent burn injuries, mainly on his thighs. He was first taken to a private hospital on Delhi Road and later shifted to the district hospital. His condition is stable.
Moradabad city SP Kumar Ranvijay Singh said the attackers appeared to have used a petrol-filled bottle. “It seems a petrol filled bottle, possibly a crude petrol bomb, was used. Forensic samples are being collected to confirm this. An FIR is being registered and efforts are on to trace the accused,” he said.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Hindu College is one of Moradabad’s older educational institutions. Police have recorded statements of witnesses and are examining CCTV footage from the area. The bottle recovered from the spot has been sent for chemical analysis.
