Dismissed from service, man attempts self-immolation

Bhubaneswar: Dismissed from his job as a home guard, a man attempted self immolation near Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence here.

The incident took place last night near Naveen Niwas under Airfield Police Station area when Sandeep Hati (45) came on a bike, poured kerosene oil on himself and lit a match.

“It was past midnight. We could not understand what the man was doing,” a security personnel on duty said.

Though police personnel intervened, Hati had already sustained serious injuries. Hati was dismissed in 2013 while working as a home guard from the Commissionerate of Police in the state capital.

Hati was dismissed when he was deployed at the residence of the then Bhubaneswar DCP Nitinjeet Singh for allegedly joining a protest rally of Home Guard Association against Singh.

“I had not joined the rally, but they dismissed me,” Hati told police in a statement and added that he took the extreme step after he failed to get justice.

Police Commissioner Y B Khurania, who visited Hati at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack said, “The state government will bear the expenses of his treatment. He was dismissed three years ago. The reason of his dismissal will be probed. Zonal ACP will investigate the incident.”

Director General of Police (DGP) K B Singh said he will take up Hati’s case with the Commissionerate of Police.

“Hati attempted suicide by self immolation near the Chief Minister’s residence. We will probe the incident,” the DGP said.