Self-immolation bid by man during anti-encroachment drive

A 40-year-old man set himself on fire on Sunday when officials came to demolish his house that was allegedly built on forest land in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, police said. Purushottam Saini sustained nearly 50 percent burns and was shifted to the SMS hospital in Jaipur after primary treatment, Gudha police station in charge Hardayal Singh said.

According to the police, the forest department had issued notices to Saini to remove the encroachment on the forest land, but he ignored it. A team of forest department officials went to Saini's house for removing the encroachment, but he poured kerosene and set himself on fire, Singh said.

Saini's family alleged that he attempted suicide after the forest department officials tortured him. The officials, on the other hand, accused the family members of pelting stones on their team, the officer said. Cases have been lodged by both sides. An FIR was lodged against nearly 30 members of the forest department team on charges of torture and abetment of suicide, while Saini and his family members have been booked for deterring public servants from discharging their duties, the police added.