Man sets himself ablaze outside Kanpur police station; SHO among four cops injured during rescue

Kanpur (UP), Jul 14 (PTI) A 32-year-old man allegedly set himself ablaze outside the Maharajpur police station here on Tuesday shortly after submitting a complaint against his wife, leaving himself critically injured and four police personnel, including the SHO, with burn injuries while trying to rescue him, police said. The man, Mahesh Pasi, had reached the police station around noon and lodged a complaint alleging that his wife had assaulted him and was unwilling to live with him, they said. Shortly after submitting the complaint, Mahesh went outside the police station, poured a flammable liquid over himself, set himself on fire and ran back into the police station premises, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Shiva Singh said. Station House Officer Janardan Singh, the duty officer and two constables immediately rushed to his rescue. They wrapped him in a blanket, extinguished the flames and shifted him to the burn unit of Ursula Hospital, she said. During the rescue, the Station House Officer (SHO) suffered burn injuries to his hands and face, while a sub-inspector and two constables also sustained burn injuries, the officer said. "After submitting his complaint, the man poured a flammable substance on himself outside the police station and entered the premises while engulfed in flames. Police personnel sustained burn injuries while trying to save him," Singh told PTI. Preliminary investigation suggests the incident stemmed from a prolonged domestic dispute between Mahesh and his wife, Poonam. The couple married in 2015 and have two children, police said. The ADCP said Poonam had lodged an FIR against Mahesh on Monday, alleging that he regularly assaulted her after consuming alcohol. According to her complaint, Mahesh assaulted her again on Monday, causing multiple injuries. A medical examination conducted at the Sarsaul Community Health Centre recorded seven injuries on her body, Singh said. Mahesh remains admitted to the burn unit in critical condition, while the injured police personnel are also undergoing treatment. Police said further legal proceedings are underway. PTI COR KIS MDO MDO