Bengaluru man attempts suicide near Raj Bhavan, wanted to attract media attention

Bengaluru: A 26-year-old man attempted to kill himself near Raj Bhavan on Sunday, in what the police described as an effort to garner media attention.

Zuhail Ahmed, a resident of Hebbal, doused himself in petrol around 4.30 pm while reporters had gathered to cover a politician's press briefing. Reporters intervened, snatching a plastic bottle from him. The police said he was not carrying a matchbox or lighter.

Bystanders poured water on Ahmed and handed him over to the police. He was booked by the Vidhana Soudha police for causing public nuisance.

Speaking to reporters, Ahmed alleged that he had been assaulted by his wife and admitted to a hospital. He claimed he wanted to draw the media’s attention to his plight.

A police officer familiar with the case said the Chikkaballapur police had earlier booked Ahmed under IPC Section 498A (cruelty by a husband or his relatives) following a complaint filed by his wife.

The police said Ahmed works as an engineer at a private company in Hebbal, while his wife lives in Chikkaballapur.