CHENNAI: Police thwarted the self-immolation bid by three persons from a family condemning the police inaction in getting the money back from an overseas consultant agency, which reportedly cheated them.
While the weekly grievance redressal meeting was going on at Tiruchy Collectorate, a family of four persons who were identified as Selvaraj (52), from Sanjeevapuram in Thottiyam, his wife Selvi (42), son Gopinath (22) and a relative Saravanan (31) came to the venue.
While they were near the entrance of the Collectorate, three persons, except Gopinath poured kerosene upon them and attempted to light themselves.
However, the police who were on duty stopped them and took them into custody.
Selvaraj, who spoke to the police, said that they had approached an overseas consultant Punitha Rosy Malar at No 1 Tollgate and paid a sum of Rs 3.30 lakh as she had promised employment in Poland. But the agent failed to arrange the job.
When Selvaraj appoached Punitha Rosy Malar for money, she had reportedly threatened him. “We lodged a complaint with the police, but no action has been initiated so far, and so we decided to end our lives,” said Selvaraj.
Since self-immolation is prohibited on the Collectorate premises, as the Collector recently asked the police to initiate action against those involved in such acts, the police arrested them after allowing Gopinath to submit a petition to the Collector.