Upset over police inaction, man tries to immolate himself

Talwara, August 31

Upset over laxity in working of the police, a man identified as Baldev Singh uploaded a suicide note and warning of self-immolation on the social media here on Friday evening.

On Saturday, Baldev Singh, in protest against inaction of the police on his complaint filed three days ago reached the Talwara police station and started sprinkling petrol on himself with an intention of self-immolation.

People present on the spot stopped Baldev Singh from doing so. They wiped petrol from his body and persuaded him not to immolate himself.

Giving information, Baldev Singh, a resident of Roli village, said he had been working at a Verka booth in the Sabzi Mandi Chowk for a long time. On August 27, around 8 pm, two men and a woman came to the booth with a dozen armed supporters and thrashed him. Baldev said the suspects threw all items kept inside booth.

Baldev said he lodged a written complaint in this connection at the police station located just a few metres away from the booth. He alleged that the police did not pay any heed to his complaint. He said even after three days, the police kept pressuring him to reach a compromise with the suspects instead of registering a case.

Baldev also sent a copy of the suicide note to the Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner and the district police chief. Talwara police station in-charge Pramod Kumar told mediapersons that dignitaries of the town intervened to resolve an old dispute between Baldev and the suspects who thrashed him. He said both the parties had reached a compromise.