Dalit farmer who set himself on fire outside Unnao SP’s office dies

Meanwhile, Purwa Circle Officer Deepak Kumar Singh and Purwa Station House Officer Suresh Kumar have been removed from their posts following the incident, officials said.

Unnao Additional Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Singh said, “The victim’s body was handed over to his family who conducted his funeral rites.”

SP Siddharth Shankar Meena had ordered a “detailed investigation” into the allegations levelled by him.

On Wednesday afternoon, Shrichand reached the SP’s office, doused kerosene on himself and before setting himself on fire. The police personnel and others present there put out the flames and rushed the 32-year-old to the district hospital from where he was referred to Lucknow for better treatment since his condition was stated to be critical.

During the preliminary inquiry, it was found that Srichand had an old dispute with his neighbour Mumtaz over a
parcel of land.

In October, he allegedly tried to fence the plot and several members of the two families suffered injuries in the ensuing clash, the police said, adding that cross-FIRs were lodged in the matter at the Poorwa police station.

“The police investigated the case and charge-sheeted four persons while giving a clean chit to three who ‘were not present at the spot’ during the clash,” a police officer said.

“Srichand was unhappy with the police for not arresting the accused and giving a clean chit to three persons. In the case filed against Srichand and his family, an investigation is still on,” the officer added.

SP Meena said that Srichand never approached senior police officials regarding the investigation into the matter.