Filling station worker set on fire by coworkers

A filling station operator in the capital's Jurain was set on fire early yesterday allegedly by his co-workers, who police said had poured octane on the victim.

The injured, Riad Hossain, 20, also a college student, was being treated at the intensive care unit at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Quoting doctors, Inspector Bachchu Mia of DMCH Police Outpost said Riad sustained 40 percent burns on his body.

Police arrested three filling station employees -- Mahmudul Hasan Emon, 22, Fahad Ahmed Pavel, 28, and Shahidul Islam, 18, in this connection after the victim's father Farid Mia filed a case with Shyampur Police Station.

The incident took place around 4:00am at Salahuddin Petrol Pump at Jurain.

Mofizul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shyampur Police Station, said four operators, including the victim, were on night duty at the petrol pump. One of the four, Emon, was asleep and Riad went to call him for duty.

Unable to awaken Emon, Riad sprayed a little bit of octane on his face. Angered by this, Emon took a container of octane, poured it on Riad and set him on fire, leaving him critically injured, the police official said.

Other employees of the filling station later took the injured to the hospital, the OC said.

Talking to reporters, Farid Mia, a driver by profession, said Riad is a student of Siddheswari College and took the part-time job this month at a monthly salary of Tk 5,000.