Muktsar: Close on the heels of self-immolation by a vendor in Patiala, a journalist attempted to commit suicide during the Republic Day parade in Muktsar district town of Punjab today.
Kishan Midda, a local correspondent of a Hindi daily, was, however, overpowered by the policemen before he could set himself afire at the Government College stadium where the district-level Republic Day function was on, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) L K Yadav told UNI.
Midda appeared in the parade ground in a dramatic style and announced that he had already poured diesel on his body and was immolating himself. But the policemen deployed on the venue captured him before he could take the extreme step, he said.
State Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang was the Chief Guest at the function.
Mr Yadav said Midda was called at the local police station a fortniguht ago in connection with investigation into a dispute between two local groups over the possession of a shop. A relative of Midda was among the disputing parties and therefore, the reporter had been taking active interest in the case.
The SSP said Midda had been taken into police custody and a case for attempted suicide under Section 309 had been registered against him.
Meanwhile, the family members of the reporter claimed that he was emotionally disturbed and had not been in sound mental condition lately.
The incident occured two days after a rehri owner of Patiala committed suicide by setting himself afire in protest against the failure of the Municipal Corporation to provide an alternative place for a rehri market which was removed under a beutification drive.
