A 15-year-old student in India has set himself on fire because of anti-gay bullying after being caught being intimate with boyfriend.
A student in Madia Katra, Agra, at the top of his class, set fire to himself after being caught by neighbours being intimate with a friend. He was relentlessly bullying and harassed the boy’s father has told the media in India.
The unnamed boy dowsed himself in stolen diesel on Sunday and set fire to himself. Family and neighbours quickly put out the flames, but he sustained 40% burns to his chest and legs.
Speaking to The Times Of India, the father said,
“‘He is unable to speak properly. The doctors say he is out of danger but I will only believe it when my son will talk to me,”
“The news spread and a some people started teasing and harassing him”.
The father added,
“Upset, he locked himself in the room for two days. He suddenly ran outside the house on Sunday afternoon and set himself afire by pouring diesel on himself.”
Same-sex activity is currently illegal in India and holds a penalty of up to life imprisonment. In December 2015 Shashi Tharoor, a member of the Indian National Congress party, introduced a bill to decriminalise homosexuality. The house rejected the bill by a vote of 71-24. Tharoor is planning to reintroduce the bill.
