A gruesome incident in Bihar&rsquo;s Katihar district has left a village in shock after a 12-year-old boy died and his father sustained severe burns when unidentified attackers allegedly set them on fire while they slept.
The victim, Sunil Kumar Mandal, succumbed to his injuries at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur. His father, 45-year-old Ram Kalyan Mandal, remains in critical condition in the burn ward.
According to police, the duo was sleeping on the veranda of their home in Kachora village on Thursday when assailants poured petrol over them and ignited it. Family members sleeping inside rushed out upon hearing their screams, while villagers helped extinguish the flames.
The pair was initially treated at a Primary Health Centre in Durgaganj, then shifted to Katihar Sadar Hospital, and finally to Bhagalpur as their condition worsened.
Kadwa SHO Vijay Prakash confirmed that one person has been detained. &ldquo;We are investigating from every possible angle. The Forensic Science Laboratory has been called to collect evidence, and an FIR for murder and attempt to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sahita has been registered,&rdquo; he said.
Police await the father&rsquo;s statement, which could be crucial in identifying the attackers. The motive behind the assault remains unclear.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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12-year-old dies, father battles burns after being set ablaze in Katihar, Bihar

Bihar Boy Burnt Alive, Father Critical

12-year-old dies, father battles burns after being set ablaze in Katihar, Bihar

August 8, 2025 | 21:21 IST