Delhi man who attempted immolation dies

The father of an autorickshaw driver who is said to have set himself on fire on Saturday over an alleged extortion bid by two police constables succumbed to his injuries today.
Hospital officials said Uday Chand died around 10 am. He was admitted at the burn ward of Safdarjung hospital since Saturday evening with around 85 per cent burn injuries.
Soon after news of Chand's death spread, family members, neighbours and other autorickshaw drivers reached the hospital and staged a protest against alleged police brutality and shoddy investigation. Some of the relatives, most of whom were women, also hackled the area SDM who had reached the spot.

Chand's son Naveen alleged that police was trying to cover up the matter as neither the constables in question have been arrested nor section 302 of the IPC has been added in the FIR.
However, police said the matter is being probed by senior officers and a call will only be taken after proper investigation. Police will now also wait for the postmortem report of the deceased.
Chand lived with his two sons, Naveen and Bhairav, at JJ colony in Neb Sarai and they had recently bought an auto and used to ply in Sainik Farm and nearby areas.

Chand's sons have alleged that the two constables were constantly harassing them and even asked Rs 20,000 from them as one-time bribe for letting them enter Sainik Farm.

Naveen could pay only Rs 7,000 to the two policemen, but they demanded more money. Chand approached the constables and requested that they be allowed to pay the remaining amount in installments.
However, the accused declined and threatened to frame them in a false case. On Saturday evening when the accused constables stopped Bhairav and Naveen and did not let them go home, Chand pleaded with the accused to release his sons.
According to police, Chand then went behind a truck and set himself on fire while his relatives allege that he was set on fire by the two constables.

Following the incident, Delhi Police had suspended the two constables and a departmental inquiry was initiated against them.