A child committed suicide in a town in Tamil Nadu after he claimed that the “ghost” of a teenager friend, who had taken her life earlier, asked him to “go to her”.

Balaji, 11, a resident of Tiruppuvanam town in Sivaganga district, was severely depressed after his neighbour Amudha committed suicide a few months ago by setting herself ablaze.

Since then, Balaji, a Class 6 student, repeatedly claimed that Amudha’s ghost used to visit him. He said the “ghost” urged him to “go to her”. On Thursday, he poured kerosene on himself and set himself ablaze, the local media said.

Balaji’s parents had taken him for psychiatric help and also visited temples, but to no avail. The child was not going to school regularly. Balaji was alone when he committed suicide. He was taken to the Government Hospital in Madurai but could not be saved. Police have registered a case.