Alleging inaction on complaint, man sets himself on fire before PS

Hyderabad: Alleging that police were not responding to his complaint, a man, who is reportedly a regular offender, attempted to die by suicide by setting himself ablaze before Malakpet police station late on Tuesday night. He claimed that the reason behind the extreme step was “police inaction” over a complaint against his neighbour.

Police said D. Vijay, 30, a ragpicker and a resident of Moosarambagh huts, doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze outside the police station. He tried to enter the police station when cops stopped him, police said adding that they shifted Vijay, who suffered critical burns, to the Osmania General Hospital and his condition is stated to be critical.

Meanwhile, Vijay stated that he had complained to the police that his friend Mohammed Farooq, his neighbour, has been sexually harassing his wife, Puja, over the past three months but the police did not respond. Vexed with the attitude of police, he took the extreme step.

According to police, Vijay, allegedly a ganja addict, is involved in six property offences in Malakpet and Rachakonda commissionerate. “He stabbed himself before Chaitanyapuri police station limits in 2020 under the influence of ganja and was jailed for six months for an attempt to murder case,” G. Shyam Sunder, ACP Malakpet said.

We have recorded Vijay's statement and are questioning Farooq too, the ACP said. Meanwhile, doctors collected Vijay’s blood sample and sent to FSL. “We strongly suspect that he was in the influence of ganja and tried to immolate self,” the ACP said adding that a case under section 309 of the IPC has been registered against him.