Cuttack: In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old boy died after allegedly setting himself on fire by pouring petrol on his body at Gopaljew lane under Purighat police limits in Odisha's Cuttack city, today.

The deceased was identified as Ankan Dutta (17) of West Bengal. He was residing in a rented house in the locality. The boy was a Class 11 student at Christ College in the city.

The reason for which he took the extreme step was yet to be ascertained.

On being informed, the Purighat police reached the spot, recovered the body for post-mortem, and initiated an investigation into the matter.

The father of the deceased alleged that his son was killed over a business rivalry and described the incident as a well-planned murder.