Hyderabad: Shaikh Mustafa, the 11-year old boy who was allegedly set ablaze by two army men in a high security army garrison in Hyderabad on Wednesday, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.

The boy was admitted to hospital in a very critical condition with more than 90 per cent burns. Mustafa, who was initially rushed to Osmania Hospital, was later moved to DRDO Apollo Hospital in view of his worsening condition.

While army officials denied any role in the incident, the boy blamed two army men in a dying declaration. “Two army men called me in to their area. After slapping me they poured kerosene on me and set me on fire”, Mustafa told 15th additional chief metropolitan magistrate A Srinivas Kumar in his dying declaration Wednesday evening.

Mustafa was one of the five children of Muqeet, a driver from Siddique Nagar in Ist Lancer area adjacent to the military garrison belonging to 47 Basantar Infantry Brigade in Mehdipatanam.

As Mustafa’s body was shifted to Osmania Hospital mortuary, angry residents gathered at the garrison gates and demanded action against the guilty men. Additional police and task force was deployed to prevent outbreak of violence.

Tension prevailed in the area after Wednesday’s stone pelting following the incident. As the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse stone pelting protesters. They were demanding the immediate arrest of the army men on the basis of the dying declaration of the boy.

Abdul Qadir and Mohammad Khalid, two eyewitnesses who found the boy in flames and tried saving him, also gave statements to the police.

Humayun Nagar police station which had registered a case of attempt to murder and brutality on Wednesday, changed it to murder following the boy’s death.

Hundreds of people, including local MLA of MIM Jaffar Hussain Meraj attended the boy’s funeral amid tight security.

Meanwhile, the army has denied the role of their personnel in the incident. A press statement issued by the army said, “it was brought to the knowledge of the army authorities at Mehdipatnam military garrison that a 11 year old boy was allegedly burnt by some army personnel. On investigation it was found this allegation is absolutely false and no army personnel is involved in this incident. The army condemns this act.

“All necessary assistance is being provided to the police to carry out a detailed investigation to arrive at the truth”.

The incident has come in the backdrop of a raging dispute between the army men and the residents of adjoining areas of First Lancer, Siddique Nagar and Ahmad Nagar over the usage of the road passing through the military area. Recently the army had erected barbed wire fencing on the boundary with the civilian areas.

Local people alleged it had become a routine for army personnel to harass residents and physically assault them. “They used to force local boys to fetch tea and cigarettes for them”, a resident told this correspondent on condition of anonymity.

But it still remains a puzzle as to what could have provoked such a brutal act like burning someone alive. “If not army men who could have done it in a high security area protected by the army?” Muqeet, the boy’s father asked.

Meanwhile, the police investigation team which visited the spot inside the garrison found a kerosene canister and matchbox. Police believe it was used in the crime.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahinder Reddy, who also visited the scene, said police would not spare the culprits. “Officials of Basantar Brigade are extending full cooperation in the probe and permitted us to have detailed inspection of the scene. We are investigating the incident from all angles”.

Meanwhile, state minorities commission has suo moto booked a case of burning the boy alive and issued a note to the Hyderabad police commissioner and district collector to submit a detailed report.

Commission Chairman Abid Rasool Khan, who raised the incident with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and governor ESL Narasimhan, recommended an ex gratia payment of Rs20 lakh to the boy’s family.

“The commission will be monitoring the case seriously and provide necessary inputs to the police to identify, arrest and punish the guilty”, said Khan. He also demanded constituting a special team to inquire in to the incident.