BHUBANESWAR: In a shocking incident on Friday night, a sacked home guard attempted self-immolation in front of the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The home guard, Sandip Hati, sustained severe burn injuries and was shifted to Capital Hospital by police personnel deployed near Naveen Niwas.
Hati, who sustained 65 per cent burn injuries, was referred to the burn ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Sources said Hati was dismissed from service three years back under disciplinary grounds. Since then, all his pleas for re-instatement went unheard by the authorities, which forced him to take the extreme step. “The attempt was pre-planned. When the man came from Palaspalli side, he had already poured kerosene over his body,” an ASI-ranked officer deployed at the CM’s residence said.
Hati first tried to barge through the main gate. After security personnel prevented him from doing so, Hati moved aside and set himself on fire at around 12.20 am. The policemen, taken by surprise, used bullet-proof vests and sacks to douse the flames which engulfed Hati. They then rushed him to the hospital.
The incident sent shock-waves among the home guard fraternity in the State. “While there is no official leave for us, we are rewarded with a pay cut in case one does not turn up for duty even if he/she is sick,” a home guard managing a traffic post near State Secretariat said.
Police Commissioner YB Khurania has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Two aspects of the case will be probed by separate teams. “Under what circumstances and grounds Hati was sacked from service and how he could manage to penetrate the security ring outside CM’s residence will be investigated,” Khurania said. Zonal ACP, Bishnu Mishra has been entrusted with the probe of security breach.
While Khurania met Hati at SCB and took stock of his health condition, DG Police KB Singh said he would hold a meeting with Police Commissioner over the sensitive issue. Naveen has ordered that all expenses in treatment of Hati will be sanctioned from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Naveen also wished Hati a speedy recovery.