A man attempted suicide by self-immolation at the Aryanad police station on Friday where he had gone to submit a complaint.
The police identified the man as Shyju, 47, of Pacha in Palode. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when Shyju reached the station and claimed that his wife had been missing. He was allegedly in an inebriated condition. While he soon left the station saying that he would return soon with a formal complaint, Shyju returned with a bottle of petrol. He then doused himself in the petrol and set himself afire.
The police officers rushed to douse the fire and shifted him to the Government Medical College Hospital here where he is believed to be out of danger.
According to official sources, Shyju had submitted a complaint at the Puthoor police station in Kollam on May 25 after his wife Deepa had gone missing. While the woman was subsequently located, she had refused to go with Shyju and went with her brother. Shyju returned to the Puthoor police station earlier on Friday and demanded that his wife be sent along with him.
While the officers there managed to pacify him, Shyju later went to the Aryanad police station, the police said.
(Suicide prevention helpline: DISHA – 1056, 0471-2552056)
