Man attempts suicide in district collectorate

Madurai: Tension prevailed at the Madurai district collector's office on Wednesday after a man attempted self-immolation on the premises. Police personnel who were stationed there immediately doused the fire and rushed him to hospital. The man took the extreme step in order to get the immediate attention of officials to act on his long-pending property dispute with his relative.
The man was identified as Vishwaprabu, 37, a native of Madurai near Bethaniapuram. He is married and has a daughter. He was settled in Trichy, where he is working. However, he had a dispute with his relatives over a house in Bethaniapuram. While the dispute has been pending for many years he is said to have approached several officials to look into the issue.
In this backdrop, he recently came to Madurai and visited his sister's house in Pandian Nagar. He came to the collector's office on Wednesday at around 1.45pm with a bag containing a kerosene container.
With the premises already witnessing two other protests, police personnel posted there were busy looking after them.
Taking advantage of the situation, Vishwaprabhu, who silently entered the campus set himself on fire. A large number of villagers including women gathered there scampered from the place. Police noticed the attempt, rushed towards him and doused the fire using sand and water.
The man's clothes were burnt in the incident. He was later rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital in a police van.