HYDERABAD, Nov 6: A 30-year-old man was admitted to the Civil Hospital on Thursday with 85 per cent burns he had suffered under mysterious circumstances at his home in Unit-8 of Latifabad in the limits of A-section police station.

The injured, Faraz Ahmed, has held owner of his house, Syed Murtaza Raza Ali, and his son Sajjad responsible for the incident and said they have done so to force him out because he is not ready to increase rent. The father and son deny the charge.

Mr Raza who owns a bookstall on Risala Road said that Faraz had committed self-immolation after he was found involved in a theft in his house and police asked him to return the stolen goods.

When the incident took place his son was bringing lunch for him to the shop, he claimed.

A doctor at the hospital said that Faraz had received 85 per cent burns.

Faraz told journalists that he and his family had been living as tenants in the house for last one and a half years on a monthly rent of Rs2,200 and the owner had been pressing him to pay Rs4,000 or vacate the house for past few months.

He said that the issue led to a scuffle last night and Mr. Raza accused him of committing theft in his house. When his mother went out for buying provision in the morning, “Raza’s son Sajjad entered my house, sprinkled petrol over me and pushed me into the bathroom after setting me ablaze. He had locked the door from outside.”

He said that he cried for help and his mother, who had returned by then, and neighbours shifted him to the Hyderabad Civil Hospital.

The A-section police have detained Raza Ali and his son Sajjad for interrogation.