A 27-year-old man allegedly set himself on fire outside the official residence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday afternoon, June 29. Police and security personnel, however, were able to promptly douse the fire.

With 40 percent burns, the man is reportedly in a ‘critical’ condition.

Hardev Sinha, a native of Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, was unemployed. He and his wife, who works as a labourer, have two daughters.

Pyarelal Sinha, Hardev’s father, claimed to have been feeding the family for a long time now.

Initial investigation revealed that Hardev arrived at the CM’s residence to seek help. However, when he was not allowed to enter without an appointment, he set himself ablaze.

The state government has issued a statement saying Hardev Sinha was ‘mentally unstable’. According to a spokesperson of the state government, he had worked for 11 days under MGNREGA scheme and owns about two acres of land.

Meanwhile, CM Baghel has urged the people not to resort to such extreme steps as the state government has arranged for providing employment to people amid the COVID-19 crisis.

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