A youth, identified as Tahir Ali, a resident of village Sihran in Kant police station area of Shahjahanpur, tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire in the Superintendent of Police (SP) office here on Tuesday.

According to eyewitnesses, Tahir set himself on fire at the SP’s office at around noon after pouring petrol on his body. The policemen rushed to douse the flames by wrapping him in blankets but by then, Tahir Ali was seriously burnt.

Tahir has been admitted to the Government Medical College. Before the suicide bid, Tahir Ali accused the police of not listening to him in the case of a missing car.

While Tahir Ali was setting himself on fire at the gate of SP office some people were making a video of him, but none tried to stop him and as he was surrounded by flames ran to the SP office. There was panic among the people who saw the young man in flames. Policemen managed to extinguish the fire and rushed Tahir to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

According to information, a young man had taken two pickup vehicles of Tahir Ali on rent. After some time, he refused to pay the rent. When the matter reached the police, they had the vehicle parked at the police outpost. Now, his vehicles have disappeared from the police post.

Tahir Ali alleged that the police were not listening to them. Upset over this, he resorted to suicide.

SP Ashok Kumar Meena said Tahir Ali set himself on fire at the instance of three people. As soon as the information was received, the staff extinguished the fire. The victim was admitted to the hospital, where his condition is said to be out of danger. The reasons behind this are being investigated.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav raised questions on law and order regarding this incident.

He wrote on X, “The youth who set fire in front of the SP office, hurt by not registering the report of theft of pickup vans by Shahjahanpur police. He should be given the best medical care immediately”.

He demanded the “strictest action should be taken by registering a case of abetment to suicide against the people responsible for this”.

Yadav further wrote, “If every crime is reported, then who knows if the so-called Amritkal in Uttar Pradesh would commit suicide out of shame.”