PUDUCHERRY: Tension prevailed at the territorial Assembly for half an hour on Thursday noon when a man, alleging a land-grab bid, attempted to immolate himself in front of Chief Minister N Rangasamy.
Masilamani (48), a resident of Korkadu village, came to the Assembly with his sister Thavamani and her husband Selladurai to meet the CM seeking a solution to a property dispute.
As soon as Rangasamy got down from his car, a wailing Thavamani prostrated before him and urged him to “safeguard” their property which was allegedly being grabbed by another person. Even before Rangasamy could react, Masilamani doused himself with petrol and tried to immolate himself. Police personnel and the watch and ward staff of the Assembly stopped the man.
Even as the CM was escorted to his office, inspectors Veeravallavan and Nagaraj interrogated Masilamani. He claimed some people were trying to grab about half an acre of land worth `1 crore in Korkadu belonging to Thavamani by making a fake sale deed. Complaints given at Mangalam police station had gone in vain, Masilamani claimed.
Rangasamy later held an inquiry with Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Narra Chaitanya in this regard. According to SSP, the property dispute has been pending in the court. Security in the Assembly is being tightened with police taking over security at the entrance of both the front and back gates from Friday, Chaitanya said after a review meeting.