Police in Kolkata said on Friday that three people have been arrested and two minors apprehended in connection with an alleged attack on a teenage boy in the Garfa area of south Kolkata, who was blindfolded, doused with petrol and set on fire on October 27. The boy, who is not being named because he is a minor, sustained burn injuries to his chest and abdomen and was admitted to hospital, where a police officer said his condition was stable.

The incident took place near a pond in Lenin Nagar, in the Haltu area under Garfa police station limits. According to police accounts reported on Friday, the teenager was returning home after work when a group led by the main accused, Arghya Saha, allegedly called him over and made him sit on a cement bench near the pond.

Assault presented as a game, police say

The accused allegedly blindfolded the boy, made him wear a helmet and slapped him repeatedly, asking him to identify the people assaulting him. A police officer quoted by The Times of India said that when the boy objected and tried to remove the helmet, the group attempted to make him drink petrol. Police said petrol was taken from a scooter and, when the teenager resisted, the fuel was poured over him and set alight with a matchstick. All of these details are allegations under investigation and have not been tested in court.

Police suspect the assault was recorded to create a social media reel. "We suspect that the accused recorded the assault for a social media reel. However, our officers are also probing other possible motives behind the attack," a police officer said. Investigators are examining the footage and questioning the arrested persons to establish the sequence of events.

Family alleges an old Rs 500 loan dispute

The victim's family has alleged that the attack was linked to a dispute over Rs 500 that the teenager had borrowed from one of the accused around six months ago and had reportedly repaid. The family lodged a complaint at Garfa police station, after which police launched the investigation. Police said they are probing the family's allegation as well as the suspected social media motive, and have not ruled out other motives.