Sacking fires Agra peon to attempt suicide

A 52-year-old former bank employee reportedly set himself on fire at Jantar Mantar on Friday morning to protest against the bank that had sacked him a few months ago.

A 52-year-old former bank employee reportedly set himself on fire at Jantar Mantar on Friday morning to protest against the bank that had sacked him a few months ago.

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Subodh Kumar from Agra is now recuperating at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital with 65 per cent burns, police said.

Carrying a bag, Kumar reportedly arrived at Jantar Mantar around 9.45 am on Friday. He walked to a water tank, left his bag at a distance and set himself on fire. The eyewitnesses heard him yell, "I want justice," before collapsing.

A few policemen, who were on duty, covered Kumar with blankets and managed to extinguish the flames.

The police said Subodh is a resident of Nai Basti in Agra and used to work as a peon in a branch of Punjab National Bank.

"He has been declared unfit for statement by the doctors. We identified him from some identification papers found in his bag," a senior police officer not authorised to speak to the media said.

A case has been registered in Parliament Street police station.