‘Mistreated’ by IAC members, miffed supporter attempts suicide

A 40-year-old volunteer of team Anna attempted to kill himself during the day-long protest of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev on Sunday at Jantar Mantar. The volunteer later identified as Saleem Alvi was reportedly disappointed with the mistreatment meted out to him by members of India Against Corruption.

A 40-year-old volunteer of Team Anna attempted to kill himself during the day-long protest of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev on Sunday at Jantar Mantar. The volunteer later identified as Saleem Alvi was reportedly disappointed with the mistreatment meted out to him by members of India Against Corruption.

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Alvi, a native of Bulandshahar in UP, was wearing a Team Anna T-shirt and cap and carrying a mega phone. “Around 12.15pm, he reached the media enclosure and started speaking through his mega phone. At that time, a close aide of Ramdev was speaking on black money,” a senior police officer said.

So, the volunteers of the organising committee tried to stop him. But within seconds, he pulled out a bottle of kerosene and poured it all over himself.

He then took out a lighter to set himself on fire, which was snatched away from him. “Alvi was taken to the police station, where he said he was disappointed by a few decisions taken by Anna. He was questioned for four hours and after the protest was over, we released him,” the officer added.

Alvi, however, has threatened that he will commit suicide at home if he was not heard by Hazare and Ramdev.