Ghaziabad: 24-year-old man dies after setting himself on fire, say police

Though no suicide note was found from the spot, an initial investigation revealed that he wished to marry a woman known to him since college days, said police

Ghaziabad:A 24-year-old man succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, a day after he allegedly set himself on fire after pouring petrol on his body.

The search history of the man revealed that he was browsing multiple and quickest ways to die for a fortnight, said police. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police were investigating the case as a suicide, suspecting that the man was disappointed with his family for rejecting the woman he wanted to marry, investigators aware of the matter said.

However, his family has alleged foul play in the incident, police said. They have alleged he was set on fire by someone else.

The incident occurred on Saturday when. according to a senior official, “around 8:30 pm, he left home telling his family that he was going to market. At 9:18 pm he reached about 2.5 km from his home near an agricultural field and set himself ablaze by pouring petrol over his body.”

Hearing his cries, locals alerted police, who rushed him to a nearby hospital. He had suffered 80% burns and succumbed to his injuries on Sunday at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, where he was later referred.

Police said the man lived with his parents in Mangal Vihar Colony. He was set to join as a stenographer at the Rajasthan High Court after two months.

Though no suicide note was found, an initial probe revealed that he wished to marry a woman he had known since he was in college. But his family was against his choice.

“Investigation revealed that he had been in friendship with a woman, a resident of Modi Nagar, for over five years and wanted to marry her. But his family members opposed it due to some reasons,” said Anand Prakash Mishra, station house officer (SHO), Modi Nagar.

“In a video clip found in his phone, he could be heard saying that he would only marry that woman,” said the SHO, adding that his search history revealed that he had been browsing ways to die for a fortnight.

On Sunday, after the post-mortem examination, the body was handed over to his family. Further investigation is underway, said police, adding that he is survived by parents and a younger brother.

Police suspect it was suicide as he was caught on CCTV visiting the spot alone.