Unable to repay loan, man sets self on fire after bank comes to seal house

The chief metropolitan magistrate, north-east district, issued the order to seal and take possession of the man’s house to the bank, because he had not repaid a home loan

A 33-year-old man died after he set himself on fire in northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri, after bank officials came to seal and take possession of his property following a court order. The man was immediately admitted to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on early Sunday morning, police officers said.

Court and bank officials arrived at Gokulpuri police station on Saturday and provided a court order seeking police assistance to take possession of a property there.

According to police officers, the chief metropolitan magistrate, north-east district, issued the order to seal and take possession of the man’s house to the bank, because he had not repaid a home loan. Court and bank officials arrived at Gokulpuri police station on Saturday and provided a court order seeking police assistance to take possession of a property there.

“After bank and court officials reached the spot, it was reported that the owner of the property poured petrol on him and set himself on fire. The police officers at the spot immediately rushed towards him and extinguished the fire by putting a blanket on him,” said a senior police officer, asking not to be named.

The officer said the man was shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. “On Sunday at 3.43 am, we learned that the man succumbed to burn injuries. After conducing an autopsy,we handed over the body to family members. A case under section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Gokulpuri police station against unidentified people and investigation is going on,” the officer said.