Septuagenarian critical after setting himself on fire at Secretariat

CHENNAI: A 72-year-old man was critically injured after he immolated himself in front of the state secretariat on Wednesday as he was struggling to retrieve Rs 14 lakh money he had given to a retired railway staff in Tiruvallur. The victim has been identified as Ponnusamy, 72, of Nirmala Nagar at Thiruvalangadu near Tiruvallur, who had been trying to get his money back by various means without any success in the last few weeks. Ponnusamy on Wednesday morning came to the Secretariat to file a petition with the CM cell. After he reached the secretariat doused himself with kerosene he was carrying and set himself on fire. Cops rushed to him and put out the fire. Ponnswamy was rushed to the Kilpauk Medical College hospital, where he had been admitted in critical condition.

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