The 19-year-old was was admitted to a hospital with burn injuries. (File photo)
A 19-year-old man allegedly poured flammable material on himself in Delhi to prove his love to a girl, police said today. The man, however, claimed that he was set on fire after he objected to some men harassing his friend.
On November 23, the police were informed that a man was admitted to a hospital with burn injuries.
The victim had claimed that when he was walking near Kanjhawla Road with his friend, who is a minor, three men on a bike started whistling at her, the police said.
One of the men poured something on him and set him on fire after throwing a lit matchstick, he claimed.
The victim sustained burn injuries on his chest and back following which he was admitted to a hospital, they said.
The police, however, became suspicious after the versions of the victim and the girl did not match.
They said letters were found in the victim's bag in which he had written about doing something extreme to prove that he loved her, they added.
During further interrogation, the girl revealed that the youth had poured inflammable material on himself which he had brought with him in the bag, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta said.
It was found that he had burnt himself in the presence of the girl. He, later, cooked up the harassment story to gain sympathy, the police official said.