For most teenagers, a pond is somewhere to cool off on a hot day. For 16-year-old Iqbal Sheikh, it has reportedly become a place of refuge. The teenager from Beldanga in Murshidabad, West Bengal, has spent much of the past five years in village ponds because he says an unbearable burning sensation spreads across his skin whenever he leaves the water.
Iqbal’s extraordinary situation came to wider attention after videos of him submerged in ponds circulated online in August 2026. His family says years of visits to hospitals and traditional healers have failed to produce a definitive diagnosis. The case has now taken a major turn after Indian businessman Anant Ambani reportedly arranged for Iqbal to travel more than 1,300 miles to Mumbai for specialist medical evaluation.
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Why Does Iqbal Sheikh Stay in Water for Days? Doctors Investigate His Mysterious Burning Skin Condition
According to reports, Iqbal’s most troubling symptom begins when he comes out of the water. He describes severe burning across his skin, with the sensation reportedly becoming so intense that remaining submerged provides his main source of relief.
This is not simply a teenager spending hours in a pond. Local residents have reportedly seen Iqbal remain in the water for four to seven consecutive days and nights, sometimes sitting chest-deep or floating for extended periods. Food is reportedly brought to him, including flattened rice, biscuits and other snacks, while he remains there. He has also reportedly moved between different ponds and other water bodies.
The unusual lifestyle has come with its own dangers. His hands and feet have reportedly become pale and macerated after prolonged exposure to water. Reports have also mentioned colds, coughing and pneumonia. Local doctors have warned that continuously staying in untreated pond water can expose him to fungal and bacterial infections and cause further damage to the skin.
Yet for Iqbal, the pond reportedly remains preferable to the burning sensation he experiences outside it.
The teenager has also reportedly said that he believes a jinn or other spirit could be responsible. His belief appears connected to the strange pattern of his symptoms: the burning reportedly returns when he leaves the water and becomes more manageable while submerged. There is no medical evidence establishing supernatural possession as the cause.
His family’s search for answers has included conventional medical facilities as well as traditional healers. Financial difficulties have reportedly made sustained treatment difficult, leaving the family without a clear explanation for years.
That changed after Iqbal’s story spread across social media.
Anant Ambani reportedly intervened after seeing the teenager’s situation and arranged for him to travel to Mumbai. Iqbal was subsequently admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, where specialists can conduct a more comprehensive assessment.
The key question now is whether doctors can identify a medical explanation for a condition that has shaped much of Iqbal’s childhood and teenage years.
One possibility reportedly being considered is erythromelalgia, a rare disorder involving small blood vessels and nerves. It can cause intense burning pain, warmth and redness, particularly in the hands and feet. Symptoms may become worse with heat, exercise or other situations that increase body temperature, while cooling can sometimes provide relief.
The reported pattern of Iqbal’s symptoms has led doctors to draw comparisons with the condition, particularly because of his severe burning and reported relief from water. However, erythromelalgia has not been publicly confirmed as Iqbal’s diagnosis.
Another condition mentioned in connection with the case is aquagenic pruritus, which can cause intense itching or burning sensations associated with water. There is an important difference, though: aquagenic pruritus is generally triggered by contact with water rather than relieved by prolonged immersion. That makes it premature to identify either condition as the answer.
Specialists will need to determine whether Iqbal’s symptoms are linked to a neurological, dermatological, vascular or systemic disorder, or something else entirely.
The cooling effect of water could potentially explain why immersion provides temporary relief from certain heat-related or nerve-related sensations, but that does not establish a diagnosis. The pond should not be considered a treatment. Remaining submerged for days can damage the skin barrier and increase exposure to microorganisms.
Unusual disputes and standoffs involving local authorities have also made headlines in other communities recently, though in a far less serious context. Check our story on “Not Gonna Happen”: Texas Lawn-Care Creator Fights HOA Threat Over “Excessively Straight” Lawn Stripes for a much lighter example of an everyday dispute that captured public attention.
What Is Known About Iqbal Sheikh?
| Detail | Reported information |
| Age | 16 |
| Location | Beldanga, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India |
| Main symptom | Severe burning sensation when leaving the water |
| Reported coping method | Prolonged immersion in village ponds |
| Duration | Approximately five years |
| Longest reported immersion | Four to seven consecutive days and nights |
| Diagnosis | Not publicly confirmed |
| Conditions discussed | Erythromelalgia and aquagenic pruritus |
| Hospital | Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai |
| Reported intervention | Anant Ambani arranged travel to Mumbai |
After approximately five years of living around this unexplained condition, Iqbal’s admission to a specialist hospital represents a potentially important new chapter. His family hopes doctors can finally identify the cause and develop a treatment or management strategy that allows him to remain outside the water without unbearable pain.
For now, the central mystery remains unsolved: why does leaving the water reportedly make Iqbal’s skin burn so severely? His specialist evaluation in Mumbai may finally provide the answer.
Unusual public moments involving unexpected figures have also drawn attention elsewhere this year. Check our story on “Get the Flock Out”: Darth Vader Takes Aim at San Diego’s Surveillance Cameras in Sarcastic City Council Appearance for a much more lighthearted example of a story that unexpectedly went viral.
Disclaimer and Sources
This article is based on accounts from Iqbal Sheikh, his family and local residents, together with contemporaneous media reports available as of August 24, 2026. Iqbal’s belief that a jinn or supernatural entity is responsible is presented only as his reported explanation and is not supported by medical evidence. Erythromelalgia and aquagenic pruritus have been discussed as possible explanations, but neither has been publicly confirmed as his diagnosis. His specialist evaluation is ongoing, and the precise medical cause remains unknown. Prolonged immersion in untreated water can carry independent health risks and should not be considered a treatment for unexplained burning or other medical symptoms.
Sources / Links
- Mathrubhumi — Bengal teen spends years in pond
- LADbible — 16-year-old boy and unexplained condition
- News18 — Bengal boy reportedly living in water
- Moneycontrol — Murshidabad boy taken to Mumbai for treatment
- Irish Star — Boy’s rare condition and treatment
- Times of India — West Bengal teen stays in ponds for days
Image Credit: Victor Cruz / Pexels
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