Pensioner set alight after he walked home from mosque prayers pictured
This is the first photo of a man who was set on fire while walking home from a mosque in Birmingham on Monday evening.
Mohammed Rayaz was on Shenstone Road, in Edgbaston, when he was engulfed in flames, just metres away from his home.
Neighbours rushed out to help the 70-year-old as emergency services flooded the road.
The retired factory worker suffered serious burns to his face, hands and chest, and was taken to hospital where he is now undergoing skin grafts.
Through their lawyer, his devastated family revealed the dad-of-two remains in intensive care.
Solicitor Shabron Hussain said: ‘Mr Rayaz’s son said he is stable, not critical but remains in intensive care.
‘He is having skin grafts. He has severe burns to his face, hands and chest. He is not able to open his eyes.
‘The family are devastated and distressed. They are still trying to come to terms with what has happened.’
Mr Hussain, whose office is opposite the mosque, got a text from Mr Rayaz’s son, Mohammed Ayaz, within minutes of the attack.
He said: ‘I got a text message saying, “my dad is on fire – somebody has lit my dad on fire”.
‘I thought I had misread and that maybe someone had set his car on fire but it became obvious I hadn’t misread at all.
‘He heard his dad screaming, the family had gone out the house and seen him on fire.
‘I immediately went over and the police, ambulance and fire brigade were already there.’
West Midlands Police said it was aware of a similar incident in the Ealing area of London and is working with the Metropolitan Police to see if the incidents are linked.
Detectives are continuing to question a man who was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder.
He was detained at Dudley Road mosque, where Mr Rayaz had been praying.
A statement released today read: ‘A suspect was spotted by officers who were carrying out enquiries in the area yesterday and an arrest was made.
‘At this stage we cannot speculate around the motive into the attack. This is a live investigation and our main aim is to make sure your communities are safe and that we bring justice for the victim.’
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