A dismissed Home Guard of the Twin City Commissionerate police attempted self-immolation in front of the Naveen Nivas, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence, here on Friday midnight.
Sandeep Hati (45) sustained burn injuries up to 70 per cent of his body. He was rescued by security personnel deployed at the Naveen Nivas and admitted to Capital Hospital here. He was shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack on Saturday morning as his condition turned critical. He is now battling for life at the plastic surgery department of the hospital.
Hati set himself on fire by pouring kerosene all over his body near Palashpalli at around 12.10 am and ran towards the Naveen Nivas. However, he was stopped by security personnel who latter rescued him.
Sources said Hati was dismissed in 2013. “I was deployed at the residence of the then Bhubaneswar DCP Nitinjeet Singh. His wife had thrown a bowl of hot kheer at a Home Guard when she was given the dessert by the latter. I had reported the incident to our association. I was dismissed intentionally on the grounds of my involvement in a rally by Home Guards. However, I wasn’t present in the rally,” Hati said.
A frustrated Hati decided for self-immolation as he is yet to be reappointed after three years of dismissal.
Commissioner of Police YB Khurania went to the SCB Medical College Hospital on Saturday to take stock of Hati’s condition. “The State Government will bear the expenses of his treatment. He was dismissed three years ago. The reason of his dismissal will be probed. The Zonal ACP will investigate into the incident,” Khurania said.
“Discussions will be held with the commissioner over the matter. It will be probed as to how Hati managed to go near Naveen Nivas despite deployment of police personnel,” said DGP KB Singh.