High drama ensued outside home minister Babulal Gaur's residence on Monday afternoon when a 40-year-old man from Ujjain poured kerosene on him and tried to self-immolate accusing a former Congress MLA and a few others of harassing him.
TT Nagar police, however, foiled his suicide attempt and arrested him. The man was identified as Manish Goyal, a resident of Laxmi Nagar of Ujjain town. According to police, he is under heavy debt and money lenders are after him to get their money back.
Manish Goyal told police that he was running a PDS shop in Ujjain town, but the district collector had cancelled the license of his shop about a year ago.
Town inspector (TI) of TT Nagar police station Manish Raj Singh Bhadauria said the man had lent about Rs 33 lakh from six to seven persons in the past few years for running his business but he endured loss in his business and could not return money. "The money lenders are demanding money but he is not able to return it. He was upset and tried to commit suicide," he said.
Police sources said that Manish has accused several persons including former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti of harassing him. He also told his interrogators that former MLA had been threatening him with dire consequences, if he would not return money within six months.
{{/usCountry}}Police sources said that Manish has accused several persons including former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti of harassing him. He also told his interrogators that former MLA had been threatening him with dire consequences, if he would not return money within six months.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress leader, however, refuted the allegation, saying that Manish was levelling false allegations. "I have not given money to him, but he has borrowed money from three-four acquaintances and has not returned. I have never talked to him. As I know, he has borrowed over a crore," former MLA Rajendra Bharti said.
Manish Goyal reached Bhopal on Monday morning from Ujjain. He contacted a few media persons and informed that he was supposed to self-immolate in front of home minister's residence.
When this information was circulated on social media- WhatsApp- police got alerted and a police team along with an ambulance was deployed outside the home minister residence.
In late afternoon, Manish Goyal reached over there, carrying a bottle of kerosene and tried to set himself afire. Police later booked him under section 309 of IPC and arrested him.