Man immolates self in Allahabad collectorate

Lucknow, Sep 3 (UNI) Tension ran high at the Allahabad collectorate this morning when an unidentified sadhu committed self immolation in front of the district magistrate office.

The DM of Allahabad Rajiv Agarwal and Senior Superintendent of Police Lalji Shukla were away to Lucknow to attend law and order meeting of Chief Minister Mayawati when this incident took place.

The sadhu died on the spot much to the discomfort of the officials present there. His saffron attire suggests he was a sadhu.

The incident occured near the spot where saints and sadhus of the Ganga Raksha Abhiyan were holding agitation for clean Ganga for the past few days. However, the protestors also denied that the deceased sadhu belonged to them.

Senior police officials have rushed to the spot whereas the district magistrate and other officials were in the state capital to attend law and order meeting conveyed by the Chief Minister.

According to eye-witnesses the deceased was frequenting the DM office with some problems but the DM had been refusing to attend to him. Today also he narrated his problem to some officials which went unheard, promting him to take the extreme step.

The lawyers of the collectorate staged a demonstration in protest.

UNI MB/SB RSC1245