A 18-year-old man attempted to set himself on fire outside a police outpost in Ghaziabad’s Khoda area on Wednesday night, alleging that he had been assaulted and that police had failed to act on his complaint. Bystanders intervened and took him to Delhi’s GTB Hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition.
According to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR, the man, identified as Irfan alias Monu, told police that three men took him from near his home in Vandana Vihar on the evening of September 8 and allegedly beat him at their water plant. A neighbour reportedly informed Monu’s brother, after which the two took him to a police outpost.
Monu alleged that police personnel at the outpost refused to register his complaint. He further claimed that personnel at the police station told him to arrange his own medical examination. Police later called him to Nehru Garden Police Outpost on Wednesday evening, where he alleged that officers pressured him to reach a compromise with the men he had accused.
After leaving the outpost, Monu reportedly poured an inflammable substance on himself and set himself alight. People at the scene intervened and rescued him. Police subsequently reached GTB Hospital, recorded his complaint and detained several suspects, according to the report.
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Indirapuram Amit Saxena said a case had been registered on the complaint against Soni, Sanjay, Sherpal, Suraj, Prince, Akash, Deepak, Shiva, Sonu, Vivek, Sandeep, Pankaj, Raunak and 10 others. The report does not specify the legal sections invoked.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Trans-Hindon zone, Dhawal Jaiswal, said some suspects had been detained. He also said the allegations against the police had been assigned for inquiry to an Assistant Commissioner of Police and that action would be taken against any personnel found responsible.
The reported dispute is linked to an earlier conflict involving a shop in Vandana Vihar. The accused brothers operate a water plant and supply water through tractor-mounted tankers in the area. Two months ago, a dispute allegedly arose over a tractor being parked outside a hardware shop operated by Zaid Siddiqui. The shop was later reopened following a protest at the police station, the report said.
The police inquiry and the investigation into the alleged assault are now expected to establish whether the complaint was refused, whether pressure was exerted for a compromise and who was responsible for the reported assault. The injured man remains under treatment at GTB Hospital.
