25-year-old attempts suicide

A 25-year-old food stall owner attempted suicide by setting himself ablaze as his family looked on in horror in New Delhi’s Bengali Market area on Friday morning.

A 25-year-old food stall owner attempted suicide by setting himself ablaze as his family looked on in horror in New Delhi’s Bengali Market area on Friday morning.

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“The victim has been identified as Rajesh Kumar and is suspected to have taken the extreme step after his mother, who was travelling with him in the family car minutes before the incident occurred, chided him for his drinking habit,” said a senior police officer.

According to police, Rajesh, his mother, two younger brothers and a household help were returning from shopping at Bengali Market at 9.10am in their Maruti Esteem car when the incident occurred.

“Rajesh is understood to have had an argument with his mother at the market. When the family left the shop for the vehicle, Rajesh reached inside for a bottle of kerosene that they had previously bought and poured it upon himself before lighting a match,” he said.

Police said Rajesh, whose father Harish Kumar runs a canteen at the Patiala House Court Complex, was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital with 80% burns. He is stated to be in a critical condition. “We are questioning the family about the entire incident and further investigation is on,” the officer added.