A 45-year-old man died after allegedly setting himself on fire inside a police station in Punjab’s Khanna on Monday. The incident took place at the City-1 police station, where he had gone to follow up on a fraud complaint. His death has also raised questions about security and police procedures inside the station.
The deceased has been identified as Gobind Singh, a resident of Ishwar Nagar in Ludhiana. He was involved in the pharmaceutical business.
Alleged Fraud and Threats
According to police, Gobind Singh had suffered business losses and later came in contact with a man named Charan Das, who claimed to be a “Baba” and promised to solve his problems and improve his fortunes.
Police said Gobind Singh paid Charan Das Rs 73,000. However, when nothing changed, he asked for his money back. Charan Das allegedly returned only Rs 20,000, while the remaining Rs 53,000 was not paid back.
Gobind Singh also alleged that Charan Das and his associates—Makkhan Singh, Jugraj Singh alias Jimmy, and Inderpreet Singh alias Ishu—started threatening him instead of returning the money. He had earlier filed a written complaint with the City-1 police station over the matter.
Four Accused Arrested
On Monday, Gobind Singh visited the police station again regarding his complaint. During his visit, he went to the restroom. When he did not come out for a long time, police opened the door and found him with severe burn injuries. He had allegedly poured petrol on himself and set himself on fire. He died at the spot.
Based on the complaint filed by Gobind Singh before his death, police registered a case of abetment to suicide against Charan Das and his three associates. All four accused have been arrested.
Police have started further investigation into the case. The incident has also raised concerns over how a person was able to carry petrol inside a police station and take such an extreme step.