Self-Immolation Bid Outside Odisha CM’s Residence

Bhubaneswar: There was high drama outside Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence here on Saturday after a suicide attempt by a youth.

The youth, Raghunath Ojha (38), tried to pour petrol on his body in an attempt at self-immolation, but security personnel at Naveen Niwas stopped him in the nick of time.

Ojha later said he was driven to take the extreme step to protest against police inaction in a case filed by him. He is a resident of Pahanga village near Niali in Cuttack district.

The youth said he had lodged a complaint with Niali police following a murderous attack on him by some fellow villagers on September 1. He, however, alleged that police failed to take any action against the accused.

“I had lodged the complaint at Niali police station on the night of September 1, the same day when I was attacked by six persons from my village. But even after 21 days of the complaint, police are yet to initiate probe into the matter. I have approached the Adaspur SDPO, Cuttack SP (rural) and senior police officers seeking action in the case, but my grievance was unheard by the police administration,” he said.

“I and my family have been receiving continuous death threat from the accused. With no option left, I decided to end my life in front of Naveen Niwas instead of being murdered by the culprits,” he added.