The Yatra started from a temple a little after 6 am and is scheduled to halt at Kota’s Bhadana village around 11.30 am. Unlike other days, there will be no Yatra in the evening. (PTI)
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A 38-year-old man in Rajasthan’s Kota on Thursday allegedly attempted suicide at the Bharat Jodo Yatra on day 4 of its journey through the state.
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Kota City Superintendent of Police Kesar Singh Shekhawat said the incident took place around 8 am when the man, identified as Kuldeep Sharma, attempted to kill himself when the Yatra was in between Rajiv Gandhi statue and IL Bridge.
“Prima facie, he seems like a hard-core fundamentalist. It was pre-planned to gain media attention and cheap publicity. Kuldeep was wearing several layers of clothes. As soon as he tried to immolate, policemen in plain clothes intervened and stopped him,” the SP said.
Sharma was taken to the nearby Shri Ji Hospital and given primary treatment, where his medical check-up revealed 2 per cent burns and his condition was said to be normal. Sharma is currently in police custody and being interrogated.
SP Shekhawat said that Sharma has an attempt to murder case against him from 2000, among other charges. “We are investigating his background and whether he was provoked by anyone,” he said.
In a video where Sharma is seen sitting in an ambulance, he can purportedly be heard saying, “Enemies of Hindus…the family is our murderer, the family is a murderer of Hindus.”
Sources said that Sharma’s father, Giriraj Sharma, was the BJP vice-chairman of Nainwa Nagar Palika in Bundi district.
