Man sets himself on fire in front of police station after wife refuses to return

Tirupati: A middle-aged man set himself on fire in front of the Chandragiri police station in Tirupati district on Monday, upset over his second wife refusing to return to him.

According to circle inspector K. Raja Sekhar, the man named Manikantha, originally from Vijayawada, had married a woman in the past and left her. He later married a woman named Durga from Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu. He had moved to Hyderabad for work and settled there. However, three months ago, Durga broke up with Manikantha and went to Kurnool, where she entered into a living relationship with another man named Sonu alias Basha.

Sonu and Durga are currently living in Bhakarapet. When Manikantha learned of this, he went to Bhakarapet and pleaded with Durga to come back to him, but she refused. Upon discovering that constable Pagadala Srinivas at the Chandragiri police station was allegedly helping Durga and Sonu in their relationship, a furious Manikantha went to the police station on Monday morning.

Sources said Manikantha got into an argument with constable Srinivasulu and, offended by this, he went to a nearby petrol pump, brought petrol, poured it on himself and set himself ablaze right in front of the police station. Hearing his screams, police rushed out and with the help of locals, they extinguished the fire. Manikantha was shifted to SVR Ruia Hospital in Tirupati in critical condition.

Circle inspector Raja Sekhar told the Deccan Chronicle that a case is being registered and an investigation will be conducted. He added that if the allegations against the constable are found to be true, action will be taken against him.