A person died and two others suffered serious burn injuries after the former threw petrol at a tea stall at Pachalam triggering a fire before setting himself ablaze on Wednesday evening.
The deceased was identified as a 63-year-old resident of Pachalam. An autorickshaw driver, he had driven to Karshaka Road immediately after the incident where he reportedly set himself on fire using the leftover petrol. Police said that he was undergoing treatment for mental illness.
The tea stall owner P.V. Pankajakshan, 67, and Rijin Das, 34, were admitted at Lourdes Hospital with 20% and 75% burns respectively. The condition of the latter was said to be serious.
“The deceased reportedly held a grudge against the tea stall owner in the belief that he used to mock him. He threw petrol in a mug at the tea stall where a s gas stove was lit at that time and that triggered the fire. Rijin, a staff of Lourdes Hospital, near the stove took the brunt of the fire breakout,” said North police.
Initially, the police were doubtful whether a spark from the attack at the tea stall burned down the CNG-fuelled autorickshaw and claimed the driver’s life. However, later the police confirmed that it was a case of self-immolation.
Suicide prevention helpline Nos: Maitri - 0484-2540530, Chaithram – 0484-2361161