Anna supporter burns to prove point

32-year-old from Patna sets himself on fire near Rajghat on Tuesday; admitted in critical condition with 80 per cent burns at LNJP Hospital

Anna supporter burns to prove point

32-year-old from Patna sets himself on fire near Rajghat on Tuesday; admitted in critical condition with 80 per cent burns at LNJP Hospital

A 32-year-old man from Bihar allegedly immolated himself in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill on Tuesday in the Capital. Police, however, said that they were not able to confirm whether he was Anna's supporter. "We can't say that he is a supporter of Anna as nothing was found from his possession. No suicide note has been recovered either," said a police official.

Fuel to fire: LNJP Hospital in New Delhi where the protester has been
admitted. Pic/Subhash Barolia

The incident was reported on Tuesday evening at four pm from Rajghat when a man shouting slogans in support of Jan Lokpal Bill set himself on fire using kerosene oil. Passers-by rushed to save him but he received 80 per cent burn injuries in the incident. Police were informed by onlookers and he was taken to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.

'We are with you': Protesters at Ramlila Maidan on the 8th day of Anna
Hazare's hunger strike supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill in Delhi on Tuesday.
Pic/Subhash Barolia

Extreme step
"The person was identified as Dinesh Kumar, 32, and he hails from Patna in Bihar. A passer-by informed the police about this incident and he was taken to hospital immediately. According to doctors he is 80 per cent burnt and his condition is said to be critical. He is not fit to make a statement so we can't say anything about the incident," said a police official.

Mum's the word
However, some officials, on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Dinesh came from Bihar a few days ago to join Anna Hazare's protest at the Ramlila Maidan.The place of the incident is hardly a kilometre away from the site of protest where Anna Hazare is fasting for the Jan Lokpal Bill. When DCP of Central Delhi, Vivek Kishore was contacted by this reporter there was no response from his side. A senior police official on the condition of anonymity said that as it was a sensitive matter, no one would be willing to comment on it.

MiD DAY also tried to contact the Medical Superintendent (MS) of LNJP Hospital but she too refused to speak with the media. Hours after the incident, Team Anna put up a message on Facebook. "Anna appeals everybody to not take any extreme step. We do not need to do this to win. We will win by determination and non-violence towards others, and ourselves. A person has tried to self-immolate at Ramlila Maidan a short while ago; taken to hospital. Anna Hazare appeals to all to maintain the peace and co-operation," it said.

Past matters
Rajiv Goswami, a commerce student at Deshbandhu College, Delhi University, had attempted self-immolation to protest against V P Singh's implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations in 1990. He was then elected to the position of the Delhi University Students' Union president. He gave up active politics due to health problems and set up his own business. In the consequent years, he was frequently in and out of hospital because of health complications dating back to his self-immolation bid. A resident of Gomti Apartments at Kalkaji in New Delhi, Goswami died at Holy Family Hospital in Okhla on February 24, 2004, aged 33. He was survived by wife Aarti, daughter Simran, son Aditya, father Madan Goswamiu00a0 and mother Nandrani Goswami. Nandrani was one of the speakers at anti-reservation protests in 2006. Goswami's action in 1990 sparked off a series of self-immolations by college students.

Suicide attempt at Pawan Bansal's House
A 30-year-old security personnel deputed as a guard at parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's house allegedly tried to commit suicide by shooting himself.u00a0 A senior police official said that the deceased was identified as Don Kuper a constable of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) of Meghalaya Police. He was taking a stroll at a park outside Bansal's house early on Tuesday when he allegedly shot himself in his abdomen.

"People roaming in the park heard a gunshot and found Kuper lying dead. His service rifle - INSAS (Indian Small Arms System)- was lying on the ground. They then informed the police," said a police officer. Police also said that they received a call at around 6: 05 am in the morning. "Kuper was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where he is undergoing treatment," said the officer.