Delhi: Man set self afire near Parliament after stress due to cases against him

Police said that the man had brought the petrol — with which he set himself ablaze — in a bottle from his home in Baghpat

The 26-year-old man who set himself on fire near the Parliament building on Wednesday afternoon has told Delhi Police that he had planned to die by suicide because he was under pressure from three police cases filed against him in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, officers said on Thursday. The man is undergoing treatment at RML Hospital for more than 95% burn injuries and his condition is said to be critical, doctors said on Thursday.

Police and forensic teams at the spot where man set himself on fire on Wednesday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Police said that the man had brought the petrol — with which he set himself ablaze — in a bottle from his home in Baghpat. He had also lied to his parents about his reason for coming to Delhi, telling them that he was going to the Supreme Court to get legal assistance in the cases lodged against him, police said.

“We spoke to the man when he was conscious. He said that he had planned to die by suicide. He told us he took petrol from his bike in Baghpat and came to Delhi via train. He lied to his parents and told them he was going to the Supreme Court to get free legal assistance. But instead, he walked to Rail Bhawan park and set himself afire,” said a senior police officer.

Police said that three cases were lodged against the victim in 2021, 2022 and 2024 in Baghpat based on complaints from a group of people. At 3.30 pm on Wednesday, the man walked up to the Rail Bhawan roundabout, set himself on fire and collapsed. He was rescued by the railway police and Delhi police personnel who rushed him to the hospital.

On Thursday, the man’s family came to Delhi and alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police registered false cases against them, which put the victim under immense pressure.

“We called the Baghpat police to Delhi. They arrived on Thursday and revealed that all three cases against the victim were probed, and a charge sheet has been filed. They also took the victim’s complaints earlier and are probing those as well. We will question them if their investigators harassed the victim...” the officer added.

“For three-four years, the victim was facing rivalry issues with a group of people and three cases were lodged against him. We found a note in his possession which said he was troubled and alleged that the Baghpat police had not probed the cases properly. He came to Delhi at 1 pm via train on Wednesday,” said special commissioner of police (law and order) Madhup Tiwari.

The man’s father, who works odd jobs, said his son was a college dropout and wanted to become a lawyer. “We have had a dispute with a family in our village since 2021. They have tried to kill me, my son and our family members several times but the police end up registering cases against us. My son was stressed and harassed from time to time. We never did anything but do the police listen to poor people?”he said.

Delhi police officers said that the nature of the dispute is not known and will be ascertained from the Uttar Pradesh police

The victim’s father said that his son left early on Thursday saying he was going to the Supreme Court to file a plea against the accused and get a pro bono lawyer. “We were hoping for some update in the case. We didn’t know this would happen. We are all shocked. I can’t even look at him. His entire body is burnt...I wish he had not taken this step,” he said.