Man sets himself ablaze in front of DM’s office, dies

Mumbai: A 30-year-old man, who had allegedly set himself on fire on Thursday in front of the district magistrate’s office at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra seeking removal of encroa-chments, has died during treatment, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Tausif Hanif Shaikh, who had suffered around 80 per cent burns in the incident. The officials said that he was rushed to Sassoon General Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment on Friday morning.

The state now has ordered a three-member committee to inquire into Shaikh’s death to ascertain if there was any foul play. Shaikh was demanding removal of encroachments on the land belonging to Peer Daval Malik temple trust at Karjat, police said. He had threatened to immolate himself a week ago and set the deadline of Thursday for the administration to take action.

Around 3 pm on Thursday, Shaikh poured kerosene and set himself on fire that left him with serious injuries, a police official said adding. Ahmednagar additional collector Bhanudas Palawe is heading the committee probing the death. The committee is supposed to submit the report in seven days.

Following the news of Shaikh’s death, Karjat city witnessed a shutdown on Friday. Some members of the minority community also staged protest outside the district magistrate’s office demanding a FIR be registered against the officials responsible for Shaikh’s death.