The residence of the minor boy in Cuttack
The half-burnt body of a 17-year-old was recovered from the Matha Sahi area under Purighat police station limits in Odisha’s Cuttack on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Ankana Dutta, a Class 11 student of Christ College in the city.
As per reports, the boy allegedly took his own life by pouring diesel and setting himself on fire late at night. Locals spotted the flames and informed the fire department personnel, who rushed to the spot and doused the flames. The boy, however, succumbed to his injuries.
Incidentally, the father of the deceased brought forward stringent allegations by claiming that his son was targeted and murdered over a business rivalry. He also alleged that the entire chain of events was very suspicious and that it was a well-planned murder.
The father stated that he saw someone burning and instinctively poured water to douse the flames, only to later realize that the victim was his own son. Further raising suspicion, he pointed out that his son’s mobile phone had been formatted, and he did not scream for help while being engulfed in flames.
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“The incident happened around 1 am and my neighbours stated that they were awake at that time. If my son set himself on fire, why did he not scream when flames took over him? It would have certainly alerted people nearby. He was definitely murdered first and burnt as a cover-up measure,” alleged the father.
While these factors deepened doubts about the circumstances surrounding the incident, the deceased's mother ruled out any signs of stress or depression. “He used to eat and talk as usual and there was nothing wrong with him. I do not clearly know what happened,” she added.
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Meanwhile, police have launched a probe into the matter. However, the cops have not offered any comments so far in connection with the case.