Uttar Pradesh: Taxi driver attempts suicide alleging police harassment in Lakhimpur Kheri

The victim, according to the police, alleged that the four men and the police used to extort money from taxi drivers and when he failed to pay them, they started harassing him. He claimed to have attempted suicide following the alleged harassment, added police.

The victim suffered over 80 per cent burn injuries and doctors at the hospital where he was being treated stated that his condition was critical.

Superintendent of police, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sanjiv Suman suspended the station house officer of Gaurifanta police station, Ashvani Vishkarma, over the charges.

Directions have been issued to the additional superintendent of police to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report in two days, the SP said.

Pallia native, Shivam Gupta used to run Tata Magic from the Bangawa area to the Gaurifanta locality. The statement of the victim has been recorded before a magistrate.

According to the police, on Wednesday late evening, they were informed that Gupta had attempted suicide by setting himself on fire after pouring petrol at the Gaurifanta police station gate. After setting himself on fire, Gupta ran inside the police station campus, said the police. The police personnel doused the fire and rushed him to a hospital.

The victim alleged that four residents, with the help of the police, were harassing him and not allowing him to run the taxi. Directions were issued to lodge FIR against those four people, said the police.

The victim’s uncle Pankaj Gupta told reporters that Shivam took the step after the police had seized his vehicle and thrashed him. He also alleged that the police had threatened Shivam Gupta that his nephew would be framed in a false case. The police, meanwhile, denied that his vehicle was seized.