Much-hyped suicide bid turns out to be hoax

Kurukshetra, Dec 15 (UNI) After keeping the media on toes the whole day, the teacher who had threatened to immolate himself today along with his family, alleging police atrocity and state apathy, failed to show up at the declared venue.

Lokendra Malik, who had made the threat in a press meet yesterday, rang up the media saying he would commit immolation in the afternoon instead of in the morning.

However, the media, including the television crew, as well as a posse of policemen waited outside the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University, in vain.

Mr Malik, a teacher in the Institute of Law of Kurukshetra University, had threatened to take the 'extreme step' if the state government and the university administration failed to take action against the Kurukshetra DSP who he alleged had ''falsely'' implicated him in a criminal case.

Addressing a news conference here today, Mr Malik said he had recently filed an FIR against some MBA students who had beaten up at least twelve students of his department and had accused R C Rathi, the DSP, of threatening him to withdraw the case or ''face the music''.

Dr R P Hooda, VC of the university, today told the reporters that the controversy created by the said teacher was quite objectionable and even his general behaviour was not in consonance with that of a good teacher.

He said the university has informed the SP Kurukshetra about the immolation threat by the said teacher and it was for the police to act further.

He did not rule out any action against the teacher for violating the conduct rules.

Meanwhile, the Kurukshetra University Teachers Asssociation (KUTA) said after holding an emergency meeting today, the association had set up a six-member committe to look into the matter.

The KUTA has also advised Mr Malik not to indulge in such gimmicks which did not behove a university teacher.

UNI XC JN SB GC2130