Man tries self-immolation in Haryana

A man attempted self-immolation in Rathdhana village of Sonipat district on Monday when Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' was passing through the area.

The man, who identified himself as Rajesh, told reporters that he took the step because his son was jobless despite being "assured" a job when he met the chief minister earlier.

Sonipat Superintendent of Police Pratiksha Godhara told PTI that the Yatra was nearing a halt in Sonipat district when the man sprinkled some inflammable material nearby and set himself on fire.

Haryana Minister and BJP MLA from Sonipat, Kavita Jain said that when the yatra reached the village, they saw a man engulfed in flames after which security officials were asked to rush to his help.

"I was on board the yatra bus when we saw the man in flames. Four more persons also sustained burn injuries in the incident. The seriously injured person has been referred to PGIMS hospital at Rohtak, while the other four are undergoing treatment in Sonipat civil hospital," Jain, the urban local bodies and women and child development minister, said.

According to the SP, the man was rushed to the burn ward of PGIMS, Rohtak, where preliminary reports state that he is out of danger.

There was no breach in security and the man had not reached close to the yatra vehicle with inflammable material, Godhara said, adding further investigations are on.

The MLA said, "The reason why the man took the step will be probed, but the priority now is to save his life. The Haryana government will extend all help to them."

About Rajesh telling reporters that he attempted self-immolation because his son was jobless despite "assurances" by the chief minister, Jain replied, "I want to tell you one thing -- first of all we need to know why he took the step, what is his mental state and in what circumstances he took the step."

Crediting the state government with ensuring transparency in providing jobs, the legislator said, "In Haryana's 52-year-old history, our government gave the maximum -- 75,000 -- jobs in the last five years on the basis of merit and in a transparent manner it is not like previous governments when favouritism was practised for getting jobs."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had flagged off Khattar's Jan Ashirwad Yatra for the October assembly polls in Haryana, from Kalka on August 18. After crisscrossing the state, the Yatra will culminate in Rohtak on September 8.