Lucknow: An eight-year-old boy was in a critical condition on Monday after his 15-year-old neighbour threw a bottle of acid at him after a minor scuffle, police said.

The incident took place in the Lavkush area of Ghazipur in the Trans-Gomti area.

Tushar, son of a sanitary worker, was playing outside the house when all of a sudden he had a spat with his 15-year-old neighbour.

After a brief scuffle, the teenager went back to his house only to come back with the acid and threw it on the unsuspecting Tushar, police said.

Tushar, who sustained 60 per cent burns, was taken to the civil hospital where his condition is said to be critical.

Superintendent of Police (Trans-Gomti) Habib-ul-Hasan told IANS that they were probing the matter.

The attacker is yet to be apprehended.

“We are investigating the matter and action will be taken accordingly,” added Hasan.

Tushar’s family said that the local police initially tried to pass it off as an accident but after eye-witnesses narrated the incident and his mother protested, police said they will take action.