In a shocking incident, a restaurant owner first thrashed a youth and then set him afire on the suspicion that the latter had stolen cash from the establishment in the Cantonment area.

The victim, identified as Sunil Rajput of Nilmatha in the area, has suffered severe burns and has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj.

The family alleged that the victim was tortured on the suspicion of theft of money from the restaurant.

The owner, Badshah Khan of Bahraich, along with his aides reached the victim's house which is close to the restaurant and picked him up, alleged his family members.

"Sunil, who is a bit slow to grasp things, was sleeping in a cot. Badshah and his men picked him up and took him to his restaurant where they frisked him first. Khan accused Sunil of having stolen money and started beating him with a stick, forcing him to confess to his crime, but the latter did not indulge in such an act," police said.

"The miscreant then doused the lower portion of his body in petrol and set him afire. As he began to cry, the residents assembled at the scene and rescued Sunil who by then had suffered burns," the victim's sister, Preeti, said.

"My son was given third degree torture by the miscreant for none of his offences and he suffered serious burns in his lower body," victim's mother Savitri said.

DCP (East Zone) Hirdesh Kumar said that a case was registered under section 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the IPC for causing burns to the victim and the accused has been arrested.

He said the miscreant was being interrogated and further action would follow.

[IANS/NS]