Uttar Pradesh official tries to set himself afire

A government official tried to set himself on fire Wednesday, accusing the state tourism minister of land grabbing, police said Thursday.

The incident took place in Bijnor district where village development officer Manu Gaur doused himself in kerosene and was about to light fire when he was stopped.

Gaur has accused Tourism Minister Mool Chandra Chauhan and Samajwadi Party (SP) parliamentarian Yashveer Dhobi and their accomplices of forcibly occupying his agriculture land in Naurangabad village.

Having petitioned district officials but to no avail, the official took the extreme step.

He also alleged the Samajwadi Party leader wanted to grab 12 bighas of his land and accused the district officials of conniving with the powerful minister.

While a case has been registered against the official for attempted suicide, district officials said a departmental probe will be ordered. The minister's office said the charges were baseless.