New Delhi:
A man set himself on fire near the new Parliament building this afternoon. The fire was immediately put out by local and railway police along with some civilians.
The injured man has been rushed to nearby Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital by the security personnel deployed near the building. A partially burnt two-page note has also been recovered from the spot.
The man, identified as Jitendra from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, set himself on fire at a park near the Railway Bhawan and then ran towards the Parliament building, police said, The Railway Bhawan is opposite the Parliament building.
“The man’s family had a dispute with another family in Baghpat over which people from both sides went to jail. Jitendra was upset about this. He came to Delhi by train this morning, reached the Railway Bhawan roundabout and poured petrol on himself and set himself on fire,” the police said.
“He was severely burnt when he was admitted to the hospital and he is right now undergoing treatment in the burns unit,” they added.
A call regarding the incident was received at around 3.35 pm and a fire tender was pressed into service, an official said. Several policemen and a forensic investigation team are at the spot.
In visuals from the scene immediately after the incident, the man was seen covered in a black blanket.
Parliament is not in session currently. It was adjourned sine die on December 20, capping off a tumultuous session.
