The Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday sent papers on two 14-year-old boys and referred a 13-year-old boy to a child consultation office on suspicion of setting fire to a baseball club teammate.

According to the police, the three students of a municipal middle school in Hamura, Tokyo, forced a 13-year-old baseball club teammate to sit on a chair in the clubroom and abused him for about two hours from 11 a.m. on Sept. 9. They then allegedly sprinkled lighter fluid on his body, including his back and legs and set him on fire. They also hit his upper leg with a bat.

The fire was quickly put out, and the boy was not seriously injured.

The three said they were hazing the boy for being late.

According to the school, the incident was discovered when another teammate who was worried about escalating violence told the teacher in charge of the club.

(Dec. 6, 2007)

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