Upset with family problems and caste clashes in country, Rajasthan man attempts suicide

Upset with his family problems and caste-based clashes happening in the country, a 40-year-old man attempted suicide by self-immolating him in Jaipur on Sunday, police said.

Raghuveer Sharan Agarwal set himself on fire near Amrapali Circle between 5.30am – 5.45 am, said Bhopal Singh Bhati, the station house officer (SHO) of Vaishali Nagar police station. Passersby doused the fire and rushed him to the SMS hospital.

“The victim suffered over 80% burns and his condition was serious. His kin wanted to take him to Delhi and took him away in the morning, barely two hours after he was admitted,” said Dr SS Yadav, spokesperson of the SMS hospital in Jaipur.

Ashok Gupta, deputy commissioner of police, Jaipur West, said that the victim in his statement to the police stated two reasons for taking the extreme step. “He was facing some family issues and he was upset with the prevailing situation in the country and the incidences of caste-based clashes,” he said.

Caste-based clashes were witnessed across several parts of the country last week during the Bharat Bandh protests by Dalit groups on April 2. Ten people lost their lives in the violence that unfolded on the day.

Agrawal runs a drug store in Vaishali Nagar and is survived by wife and three kids, the police said. The SHO said that no suicide note was found with Agarwal.