[ToI] Self-immolation bid near Writers'

Link to report

KOLKATA: A 22-year-old polytechnic student attempted to set himself ablaze outside Writers’ Buildings on Saturday afternoon, but alert policemen stopped him in the nick of time.

Pratin Biswas, a second-year student of Bengal Institute of Technology (BIT) at Katwa in Burdwan, was about to light a match after dousing himself with kerosene when policemen rushed to the spot. Biswas was taken to Hare Street police station for questioning.

Police later said he appeared to be mentally challenged and was under treatment.

The incident occurred around 1.15 pm. The youth, who was loitering around the western flank of the state secretariat with a bottle of kerosene, suddenly poured it on himself.

Policemen posted at Gate No. 5 spotted him. "We rushed out and overpowered him. He then began to shout that he was forced to lose a year at the polytechnic due to ragging. He claimed to have written several letters to the chief minister but to no avail. He said failure to receive justice had driven him to take this extreme step," police said.

A resident of Durgapur, Pratin was admitted to BIT two years ago. Though he initially lived in the hostel, he left it fearing ragging and rented a room near the college.

When police contacted his parents in Durgapur, they learnt that Pratin was undergoing treatment for the last two and a half years.

Pratin’s father Bikash Ranjan, a retired teacher, dismissed his son’s ragging allegation and said it was the figment of his imagination.

"Pratin failed to adjust with his roommates and shifted to a rented house. Four days ago, he left that house and moved to a hostel in Katwa. On Friday, his father went there to arrange for his accommodation but Pratin fled," police said.