Man attempts self-immolation outside police post in Khoda

Ghaziabad: A 25-year-old man sustained burn injuries after allegedly attempting self-immolation outside a police post in Khoda on Wednesday over a dispute with his former landlord, police said on Thursday

Ghaziabad: A 25-year-old man sustained burn injuries after allegedly attempting self-immolation outside a police post in Khoda on Wednesday over a dispute with his former landlord, police said on Thursday.

Police said two brothers had rented two shops to two tenants.

According to police, the incident occurred around 10:30pm outside the Nehru Garden police post, where two groups — former tenant shopkeepers and their landlords — had arrived to resolve a months-old dispute.

Police said two brothers had rented two shops to two tenants.

“The building owners claimed they rented out shops to some people last year. However, a month and a half ago, the shopkeepers were asked to vacate after they allegedly invited unwanted people to their shops. After the tenants left, they allegedly misbehaved with the owners, following which the owners filed a police complaint on September 7. The next day, a group of their former tenants also filed a police complaint against the landlords for harassment. On Wednesday, the police post in-charge summoned both groups for a resolution,” Amit Saxena, ACP (Sahibabad) and officiating ACP for Indirapuram, told HT on Thursday.

According to officials, an argument broke out between the two groups at the police post. “Following this, a 25-year-old man from the tenants’ group came out of the post, poured some flammable liquid on himself, and set himself on fire using a matchstick. Locals and police personnel immediately intervened, doused the fire and rushed the man to a hospital,” the ACP added.

Officials identified the man as Mohammad Irfan, alias Monu, a Khoda resident.

An alleged video of the incident surfaced online on Thursday. HT could not independently verify the video’s authenticity.

Suryabali Maurya, ACP (Indirapuram), told HT, “The man sustained superficial burns, and his condition is said to be stable at the hospital. We have asked him to file a police complaint into the matter and will soon lodge an FIR. A detailed investigation will follow. The complaints filed on September 7 and 8 will also be a part of the investigation.”

Officials said they would also inquire into how Irfan procured and brought the flammable substance with him.