The victim succumbed to burn injuries on Thursday. (Representational image)
A 23-yer-old man died by suicide in Karnataka's Tumakuru district after copying a scene from Telugu horror movie 'Arundhati', which he had watched at least 15 times, police said today.
"Addiction to movies" was the reason Renuka Prasad had dropped out after Class 11, even though he'd been among toppers till Class 10, sources in the family said. His parents tried to wean him away but the obsession persisted.
He spoke of copying the self-immolation from 'Arundhati' lately, but his parents managed to talk sense into him until two days ago, it's learnt.
Much like the movie's protagonist, Prasad poured about 20 litres of petrol on his body on the village outskirts on Wednesday. Some passers-by saw him in flames and rushed him to a hospital. He'd suffered 60 per cent burns and died the next day.
Some reports said he made a video telling his father about his "salvation" plan.