Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Vigilant on-duty police officials intervened to stop a man in dire financial condition from setting fire to himself near Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home office on Kumara Krupa Road on Sunday.
Police identified the man as 32-year-old Pawan Kumar, a resident of KR Puram, originally from Sharan Sirasagi in Kalaburagi district.
In his complaint, Assistant Sub-Inspector Manjunath, stationed at 'Krishna' at 8 am, said he noticed Kumar standing in front of the CM’s office with a bottle of petrol around 11.15 am. Kumar proceeded to pour the petrol and attempted to set himself on fire with a matchstick.
Manjunath, along with head constables Ravi Kumar and Sathyanna, and police constable Ramu, snatched the match box and escorted him to the pavement.
Burdened with debt
On prodding, Kumar revealed that he was burdened with debt and allegedly faced harassment from loan sharks.
He had lodged a complaint at the KR Puram police station on February 29, but as the authorities were preoccupied with the Rameshwaram Café blast case, his grievances could not be addressed, a well-placed source told DH.
On Sunday, Kumar arrived at the Chief Minister’s Office and attempted self-immolation since he could not access the office.
The High Grounds police registered a case under IPC Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide). “The person will be released on station bail,” said a police official.