Man commits suicide outside collectorate in Yavatmal

Nagpur, Aug 15 (UNI) A middle-aged man tried to commit suicide outside the district collectorate in neighbouring Yavatmal district today.

District Superintendent of Police Abdur Rehman told UNI that the man, identified as Chhotu Ahmed Khan Pathan (48), consumed poison just as Guardian Minister Manohar Naik reached the area to meet various delegations shortly after the Independence Day function this morning. Pathan was rushed to hospital, where he died a few hours later, Mr Rehman said.

In his statement, Pathan, a resident of Ralegaon, told the police that he had taken the extreme step to ''demand justice'' after being booked for his alleged involvement in illegal transport of passengers, Mr Rehman said.

Earlier, in December 2005, Pathan had resorted to a hunger strike while under preventive detention for six days for threatening to commit self-immolation against the action initiated against him under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, Mr Rehman said. In spite of repeated reminders by the police, he had refused to take back his vehicle that had been seized, he added.

UNI