Sacked from his job as a home guard three years back in Odisha, a 45-year-old man attempted self immolation near Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence here, sparking indignation among the lower-level security personnel in the state.
Sandeep Hati sustained about 60 per cent burn injuries after setting himself ablaze last night near Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced free of cost treatment for the injured home guard who is battling for life at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Meanwhile, holding Patnaik responsible for their dismissed colleague's bid to immolate himslef, Odisha Home Guard Association President Prasanna Mallick today threatened that if their genuine demands were not met in seven days, all the home guards of the state would opt for such extreme steps.
"It was past midnight. We could not understand what the man was doing," a security personnel on duty said, adding that though police personnel intervened, Hati had already sustained serious injuries.
Hati had been dismissed in 2013 while working as a home guard from the Commissionerate of Police in the state capital.
He was dismissed during deployment at the residence of the then Bhubaneswar DCP Nitinjeet Singh for allegedly joining a protest rally of Home Guard Association against Singh.
"I had not joined the rally, but they dismissed me," he told police in a statement and added that he took the extreme step after he failed to get justice.
Police Commissioner Y B Khurania, who visited Hati at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack said, "He was dismissed three years ago. The reason of his dismissal will be probed. Zonal ACP will investigate the incident."
Director General of Police (DGP) K B Singh said he will take up the case with the Commissionerate of Police.
"Hati attempted suicide by self immolation near the Chief Minister's residence. We will probe the incident," the DGP said.
The home guard association president too visited Hati
at the Plastic Surgery department of the hospital.
Alleging that Hati was constantly victimised by the capital police since his recruitment in 2008, Mallick said: "He was retrenched from the service along with 64 others and despite repeated representations to senior police officers, including home secretary and chief minister, nothing changed."
He held the state government responsible for the present plight of Hati.
Home guards from various parts of the state also visited the hospital on the day and expressed their stand to remain united.
