GUJRANWALA: A youngster suffered severe burns on Saturday when a ‘faith healer’ allegedly threw him into fire after his parents failed to pay him money to buy a goat in Islampura locality of Khyali Shahpur town.

According to Tetleyali police, 19-year-old Shan, a resident of Faisal Colony, fell unconscious. His parents took him to a local ‘faith healer’, Shah Muhammad, for ‘healing’.

After ‘examining’ the youth, the ‘faith healer’ claimed that Shan was under a spell of black magic and only slaughtering a goat could save him. As the ‘pir’ said that he would himself select the goat, he demanded money to buy it.

When Shan’s parents told the ‘pir’ they could not afford to pay him the amount, he got enraged and took the youth in another room and allegedly threw him in fire.

On hearing their son’s cries, Shan’s parents, with the help of some relatives, broke open the room’s door and found the youth with severe burns on his face and chest. Meanwhile, the suspect managed to escape.

The victim was shifted to Kamoke Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, from where doctors referred him to Lahore given his serious condition.

Tatleyali police have registered a case against the suspect who is still at large.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2019