35-Year-Old Contractor In Odisha's Sonepur Attempts Self-Immolation In Police Station

Sonepur: A 35-year-old contractor allegedly attempted to end his life by setting himself on fire inside the Binika police station on Friday.

Sources said the attempt on life by the contractor was over alleged non-payment of dues towards a road construction work which he undertook around 10 years ago at Jharbahali village under Ulunda block of Sonepur district.

The young contractor, identified as Trilochan Purohit (Sintu) of Jharbahali village in the district, however was prevented from his bid after officials present at the police station overpowered him.

Sintu alleged that one Bijay Purty, a junior engineer (JE) presently posted in Binika block has not cleared his pending bill of Rs 87,000 for carrying out a road construction work at Jharbahali under Ulunda block in 2011-2012. Purty was then posted in Ulunda block.

On the other hand, the JE had filed an FIR with the Binika Police a couple of days back in which he alleged that Sintu threatened to commit suicide over phone if his dues were not cleared.

Purty said Sintu along with nine other persons had carried out the road construction work and his bill, amounting Rs 5 lakh had been cleared immediately after the work was over.

Following the complaint of Purty, the Binika police had summoned both Sintu and Purty for questioning today. When both reached the police station, Sintu reportedly poured petrol on himself and tried to lit a fire.

He has been detained by the police, sources said.

The reaction of the police and the JE is yet to be obtained.

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