Eight-year-old thrown in fire

SHEIKHUPURA:

A man threw an eight-year-old boy into fire on Saturday in Jati village.

Qayyum, a local landlord, suspected that Fiaz*, son of Riaz, had set one of his wheat fields on fire.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Arsal Fayyaz, a neighbour, said: “Qayyum caught Fiaz wandering near the field that was on fire. He searched him, but found no matches or inflammable material on him. I tried to stop him. However, he was very angry and threw him into the fire. Some neighbours pulled him out and took him to Sheikhupura district headquarters hospital.”

Doctors said the child had 50 per cent burns. They said that he was being provided medical care and that his condition was stable. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and directed the Sheikhupura DPO to report on the matter.

Farookabad Saddar SHO Muhammad Iqbal told The Express Tribune that an FIR had been registered on Riaz’s complaint. “Riaz told us that Qayyum had accused Fiaz of setting fire to his wheat. He beat him up and then threw him into the fire. We have arrested Qayyum and his accomplice Younas,” he said.

*The name has been changed to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2015.