Jaspreet Singh's burns raise questions

FAMILY of an Indian man who alleges he was set on fire by four men have steadfastly rejected suspicions that the fire was of his own doing.

FAMILY and friends of an Indian man who alleges he was set on fire by four men have steadfastly rejected suspicions that the fire was of his own doing.

Jaspreet Singh is recovering in Melbourne's Alfred Hospital after undergoing surgery for burns on his face, hands and body that he sustained on Saturday.

He initially told police that, at 2am, four men had pushed him against his car, doused him in fluid and set him alight before fleeing along the street, in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

It is understood police are investigating all possible causes of the fire, including that Mr Singh lit the fire himself.

The incident made has made headlines in the Indian press, coming in the wake of the murder of 21-year-old Nitin Garg in Melbourne. Hundreds of mourners gathered last night in Jagraon in India to cremate his body.

Mr Garg, an accounting student, was stabbed to death in West Footscray last weekend. The killing led the Indian government to issue a travel warning to students.

Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland and Acting Premier Rob Hulls yesterday urged for calm and said people should not "jump to any conclusions" about the latest incident involving an Indian national.

Detectives deny there is a race element to the attack, saying the "alleged" assault is a "a bit strange" and they are not ruling out anything in their investigations.

They are also searching for Mr Singh's burnt clothing, which could not be found at the crime scene, and are appealing for witnesses. Neighbours' reports also added to the confusion. Some said they did not hear any fight, scuffle or attack, and that they heard only the bang when the car exploded.

Mr Singh's wife Paramjeet Kaur and his friends said they were saddened by suggestions that he was not assaulted.

"It's really traumatic," said friend Karun Singh, of the rumours.

"Why would he burn himself? He was a married man with a five-year-old child."

Mr Singh said his friend, whom he saw in hospital yesterday, did not have financial problems and that he ran a successful courier business.

Mr Overland said police had been "at pains to say in both cases that we don't believe that racism is an issue or we certainly haven't found evidence that suggests racism is an issue in either case".

"I think it's important that people not pre-judge these matters and not jump to conclusions," he said.

Mr Overland refused to speculate on whether Mr Singh had lit the fire.

NSW police investigating the unrelated death of Ranjodh Singh, 25, whose burned body was found beside a road in Griffith, arrested two men last week as they were about to board a flight to Nepal.

A Sydney newspaper reported the two men, believed to be Indian seasonal workers employed by Mr Singh, were questioned by detectives after being arrested at Sydney airport last Monday.

The men were later released without charge but had their passports confiscated.

Police would not confirm the arrest.