MP traffic cop suffers burn injuries during Congress' effigy-burning protest; probe ordered
Maihar (MP) (PTI): A traffic policeman suffered severe burn injuries in Madhya Pradesh's Maihar district on Friday after his uniform caught fire during Congress' effigy-burning protest targeted at some ministers, prompting the police to file an FIR and launch an investigation into the incident, an official said.
The protest took place at Agrasen Tiraha in Maihar city, he said.
Traffic policeman, Vikram Pathak, who was on duty at that time, suffered severe burn injuries as petrol carried in a bottle by the protesters fell on his uniform and it caught fire.
Congress workers were burning an effigy while raising slogans against state ministers Rajendra Shukla (Health), Vijay Shah (Tribal Affairs), and Kailash Vijayvargiya (Parliamentary Affairs).
While the opposition party has been targeting Shah for his controversial remarks made last year against Col Sofia Qureshi, it has been demanding the resignations of Shukla and Vijayvargiya over the deaths of people due to contaminated water in Indore.
As the protesters tried to set the effigy on fire, petrol got sprinkled on Pathak's uniform, and it caught fire. The blaze quickly spread to his back and lower body, causing panic during the protest, eyewitnesses said.
A video of the incident also went viral, showing a stampede-like situation soon after the fire.
The police personnel and locals present at the scene acted swiftly and extinguished the fire using blankets and water. The injured traffic policeman was immediately taken to Maihar Civil Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, the official said.
Doctors said he suffered severe burn injuries, but is out of danger.
Taking serious cognisance of the matter, the police launched an investigation, he said.
An FIR has been registered based on the video footage, and the role of those involved in the protest is being investigated, the official said.
Police are also investigating the circumstances under which flammable material was used during the effigy- burning protest.
Following the accident, additional police force was deployed at the protest site and the surrounding area.
Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Kumar and Collector Rani Batad described the incident as serious and assured strict action against those involved in it.
"A demonstration was being carried out by the Congress, and during the effigy-burning, some petrol was spilled on the uniform of Vikram Pathak, the in-charge on duty, after which it suddenly caught fire and caused burn injuries to him," SP Kumar said.
An investigation is being conducted on the basis of the video, he said.
Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal said in Bhopal, "I have spoken to the policeman and offered my prayers. There is a way to protest. Whatever happened is not right.
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Man held for killing teacher over Rs 13 lakh loan in Karnataka
Kalaburagi (Karnataka) (PTI): A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing a teacher after she repeatedly demanded repayment of a Rs 13 lakh loan that he had taken from her, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, Amar, allegedly attacked the woman with a sharp weapon and later set the body on fire on the Kamalapur-Kalmood road in the district in an attempt to destroy evidence, they said.
Police identified the victim as Jyoti (57), a resident of Kalaburagi city, who was working as a teacher in Bidar district.
The matter came to light after an unidentified female body was found beside the Kamalapur-Kalmood road, they said.
Initially, it was treated as an unidentified body. Based on a complaint from a local resident, a murder case was registered under 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Kamalapur Police Station limits in Kalaburagi district, police said.
The investigation was immediately taken up and her photographs were widely circulated and later, the woman was identified.
During the investigation, police identified Amar, a resident of Kapnoor area, who owns and runs a milk parlour as the accused, Adduru Srinivasulu, Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police told reporters here.
According to him, Amar had borrowed Rs 13 lakh from Jyoti. She had been repeatedly asking him to return the money and had warned that she would lodge a police complaint if he failed to repay the amount. Fearing this, Amar allegedly planned to kill her.
He reportedly took Jyoti towards the Kamalapur-Kalmood road in a vehicle on April 4. On the way, he stopped the vehicle saying that water needed to be poured into the engine. "When she got down, he allegedly threw chilli powder on her face and attacked her with a sharp weapon. After the murder, he allegedly poured fuel on the body and set it on fire before fleeing the scene," the officer said.
Based on the accused's statement, police recorded his confession, collected evidence in the case, arrested him and produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody, he added.
