Teenage boy who has been 'living in pond' for five years blames one thing for not being able to leave the water

Iqbal Sheikh, 16, has become a bit of a local legend in Murshidabad, West Bengal, India, for spending much of his time in ponds.

The teenager has apparently spent days at a time living in the water with concerns growing for his health.

And with it believed this has been going on for about five years, Sheikh has gone viral online as the boy ‘living in ponds’.

The lad experiences a painful burning sensation on his skin as a result of a mysterious skin condition and the cool water apparently helps to give him relief from this - with one of India's richest people organising specialist examinations.

But he has apparently said the one thing that stops him from being able to leave the water because of more of a supernatural reason – referred to as jinn.

Anant Ambani has arranged for the young lad to travel for specialist evaluation. (X)

As reported by India Today, Sheikh has attributed the presence of a ‘jinn, fairy or other supernatural entity’ for the feeling he experiences outside of the water.

He claims that whenever he leaves the ponds, he gets an ‘intense burning sensation across his body’ and the discomfort only subsides when he gets back in.

In Arabic mythology, a jinn (also known as a jinni or genie) is a spirit that inhabits the Earth but cannot be seen by humans.

Britannica explains: “They are conceptualized in Islam as creatures parallel to human beings who are capable of choosing between good and evil and must thus face eventual salvation or damnation.”

And it adds: “Jinn delight in punishing humans for any harm done to them, intentionally or unintentionally, and are said to be responsible for many diseases and all kinds of accidents.”

Locals say Sheikh is showing the signs of spending so long in the water, with parts of his body such as the skin on his hands and feet turning pale. Plus, they say he has developed cold and cough symptoms.

The teenager apparently said he sought out treatment at a local primary health centre ‘but did not receive the help her needed. It’s also said the family cannot afford treatment for the lad at a private hospital.

India Today also reports that some locals are focused on his claims about jinn but others worry more for his health and the consequences of him ‘living in ponds’.

Schoolchildren and locals reportedly gather daily to watch Sheikh in the water and some have even started bringing him food – with videos going viral of him snacking while still in the pond.

It’s understood that over the years, medics have failed to diagnose the lad’s condition but one of the richest people in the country, Anant Ambani has now got involved.

Now on his way, he reportedly organised for Sheikh to travel to Mumbai to receive specialist evaluation into why he suffers this burning sensation.

It’s still not confirmed what’s causing it but some doctors have suggested that the cause of his pain and discomfort is a condition called erythromelalgia.

Symptoms of this rare condition includes a burning sensation as well as feeling warmth or redness.

The NHS says it mostly impacts the feet but can also affect other areas of the body. However this remains a theory and Sheikh will need to be thoroughly examined in order to establish a cause for his symptoms.