Kerala: Man sets himself on fire at BJP’s Sabarimala protest venue

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 13: A 49-year-old man, Venugopalan Nair, set himself ablaze near BJP's protest venue (on Sabarimala Issue) in front of Secretariat, on Thursday. He is undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical college.

BJP leader CK Padmanabhan, said, "Venugopalan Nair was an Ayyappa devotee'.

Police say they are conducting an investigation from all angles and say Venugopalan Nair was under the influence of alcohol and also had some family issues, reported ANI news agency.

According to reports, the incident happened around 3 in the morning outside the state secretariat. After pouring petrol, he set himself on fire and rushed to the protest site. In flames, he was heard chanting the 'swami saranam' hymns.