A 48-year-old man set himself ablaze in South Delhi’s Neb Sarai as he was depressed over continued exploitation of his two sons by two Delhi Police constables, said a police official. He was rushed with 85 per cent burn injuries to Safdarjung Hospital and his condition is stated to be critical.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Sunday booked two police personnel, posted with the Neb Sarai Police Station of South Delhi on charges of extortion, abetment to suicide and threatening. later, both police personnel were suspended and a departmental enquiry has also been instituted against them. However, after the incident the victim alleged that he was set ablaze by the accused constables.
Police said that the victim, Uday Chand, lives with his two sons, Navin and Bhairav at JJ colony in Neb Sarai. “In his statement to the police, the victim alleged that his two sons were being harassed by two Delhi Police constables — Raj Kumar and Surender. They were demanding Rs 20,000 as extortion money from his elder son for plying his three-wheeler without restriction,” said a police official, adding that the constables were continuously harassing Navin as he was unable to give them such a large amount.
A few days ago, the constables badly beat up the victim’s younger son, Bhairav, too. Preliminary investigations revealed that a few months ago, the victim’s sons arranged an autorickshaw on lease and got the permit to ply the vehicle at Sainik Farm from the concerned department. “Police personnel were demanding Rs 20,000 from Navin and he somehow managed to arrange only Rs 7,500. The constables took the amount from Navin and allowed him to ply the vehicle saying the remaining amount must be paid up in a couple of days,” the officer added.
Uday Chand approached the constables, requesting them to allow his son’s auto-rickshaw to ply and that the remaining amount would be paid in instalments. “The victim said that on Saturday, both the constables impounded his autorickshaw at the entry gate to Sainik Farm. Uday went and requested them to leave his son but, the constables started abusing him. Upset over this, Uday went behind a truck and doused himself with petrol, setting himself alight,” said the official.