5 handicapped, who attempted suicide, sent to jail

Varanasi, Aug 5 (UNI) Five of the 12 street-side handicapped vendors, who attemted suicide on July 31 last, were here today remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

Mohd Nasim, Satish, Khalil-ur-Rehman, Mohsin and Bharat were remanded into 14-day judicial custody by the duty Magistrate for attempting suicide.

Before being sent to district jail, all five disabled vendors were examained by doctors at the district hospital, Police Superintendent (City) Arun Kumar Pandey said.

As many as 12 physically challenged vendors had attempted suicide in Gurubag area here on July 31 last by consuming poison to protest anti-encroachment drive of Varanasi Nagar Nigam. Five of them -- Radhey, Gurudev, Mangroo, Ram Chand and Tribhuwan -- succumbed at the district and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) hospitals during the course of treatment.

While Namo Narayan -- self-styled leader of the disabled vendors, who also attempted suicide had been arrested and charged with abetting suicide -- another disabled vendor Rajesh Chaurasiya, who also attempted to end his life is undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of BHU hospital.

UNI