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Two brothers set self ablaze after Ludhiana MC attempts to take down tea stall
Duo sustain 50% burns; booked along with family members for allegedly attempting to pour kerosene on Ludhiana MC officials
Two brothers set themselves on fire on Tuesday evening after a municipal corporation (MC) team reached the Onkar Vihar to raze encroachments, including their tea stall. The duo allegedly also tried to set the civic body employees on fire.
The two, who have been identified as Beeru and Anmol, were rushed to the civil hospital for treatment. According to hospital staff, they suffered more than 50% burn injuries and their condition was reported to be serious.
Division number 7 police, meanwhile, have registered a first information report (FIR) against the two and their five sisters for a murder bid on municipal corporation employees.
The family said they have been living in the neighbourhood for the past 35 years and ran a tea stall. They alleged that the civic body officials on Tuesday reached the spot to raze their shanty and shop without serving them a notice.
Deep Mala, one of the sisters, further alleged that her brothers requested the civic body officials to provide them some time to take down the constructions as the tea stall was the only source of income for the family.
She claimed that the officials paid no heed to their pleas, following which her brothers poured kerosene on themselves and themselves ablaze.
The civic body employees, however, countered the claims, saying that they had served multiple notices to the encroachers, but they failed to take down the illegal constructions.
They added that during Tuesday’s anti-encroachment drive in Onkar Vihar, Beeru and Anmol set themselves on fire and also poured kerosene on MC officials with the intention to kill them.
Division number 7 station house officer inspector Sukhdev Singh said a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 353 and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Beeru, Anmol, their five sisters and other relatives following the complaint of the civic body officials.
