A dramatic scene unfolded in Lucknow's Narwal tehsil on Saturday when a young man, in a desperate bid to be heard, threatened to set himself on fire during a public grievance redressal program. The incident occurred in the presence of senior district officials, including District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh, who were listening to complaints from local residents.
A Desperate Plea for Attention
According to officials present at the event, the youth, later identified as Ranjit Singh alias Bauwan from Karbigwan Sarh village, suddenly poured kerosene over himself. He shouted that he would ignite the fuel if his long-pending complaint was not addressed immediately. Police personnel stationed at the venue acted swiftly, intervening to prevent him from lighting a match and averting a potential tragedy.
The Root of the Grievance
Ranjit Singh presented his case to the district magistrate. He alleged that his neighbours—Satyendra, Abhay Singh, and Akhilesh Singh—had repeatedly damaged the drain outside his kachcha (temporary) house. This, he claimed, caused wastewater to accumulate and posed a serious threat of the structure collapsing at any moment.
He expressed his frustration, stating that he and his mother had previously approached both the local police station and the sub-divisional magistrate's office, but no concrete action was taken. Singh alleged a collusion between the police and the opposite party, claiming that every time he repaired the drain, his neighbours would break it again.
Official Response and Inspection
Taking serious note of the complaint, District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh heard the youth patiently. He then directed ACP Chakeri Abhishek Kumar Pandey and SDM Vivek Kumar to conduct an immediate spot inspection to verify the allegations on the ground.
However, the police version presented a different picture after the inspection. ACP Chakeri Abhishek Kumar Pandey stated that the youth's extreme act was an attempt to put undue pressure on the authorities. He reported that the spot inspection revealed the drain to be in proper condition, with wastewater discharging normally. The ACP added that appropriate action would be taken in the matter concerning the incident at the grievance hearing.
