Man tries to immolate self outside Maharashtra minister’s residence

Police said the man obtained the licence in 2018 for sand mining and transportation after paying an ₹8.72 lakh fee. He started the excavation before it was stopped because of opposition by the locals. Due to the frequent protests of the villagers, the man suffered losses

A man allegedly tried to set himself ablaze outside Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat’s residence in Mumbai on Wednesday, the police said. They added the man is a resident of the Ahmednagar district, who upset over the pending refund of the license fee paid for stalled sand extraction.

Minister Balasaheb Thorat. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT archive)

Police said the man obtained the licence in 2018 for sand mining and transportation after paying an ₹8.72 lakh fee. He started the excavation before it was stopped because of opposition by the locals. Due to the frequent protests of the villagers, the man suffered losses. He tried to convince the villagers but in vain.

The man took up the matter with authorities and sought a refund. “On Wednesday, he poured petrol on himself and tried to set himself on fire...,” said a police officer. The policemen deployed at the minister’s residence stopped him.

“[He] was taken to a police station and released with a warning to not to repeat such act in future,” a second official said.