From correspondents in Uttar Pradesh, India, 12:30 AM IST

Two first year students of Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur University suffered serious burn injuries late Monday night after some unidentified youths entered their hostel room, sprinkled petrol on them and set them on fire.

The two were first year students and roommates of Gorakhpur University's Sant Kabir Hostel. The incident took place at around 9 p.m.

Police sources here said that the two - Meraj Lari, a Muslim student, and Bantu Singh - belonged to a village in Gorakhpur.

They were cooking food in their hostel room when four-five unidentified youths barged in, sprinkled petrol on them and escaped after setting them on fire.

The other hostel inmates were alerted by the screams of the two youths and rushed them to the burns ward of the local hospital. Doctors said the two have suffered more than 60 percent burns.

Police said they were searching for the culprits. Asked whether it was a case of ragging, police said it appeared to be a case of old enmity.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)