The office of the Commissioner of Police was the scene of high drama on Thursday afternoon after a man, in a desperate attempt to meet the police chief, poured kerosene on himself and threatened immolation. Fortunately, the security staff on the premises overpowered him and snatched his matchbox in time.
The man, identified as Srinath from Madhugiri, said he had come to meet the Police Commissioner to seek his intervention in a job dispute. He told the police that he was sacked from a tool manufacturing factory in Peenya four years ago, and despite filing complaints with the Labour Department and the jurisdictional police station, no action had been taken.
Srinath, who is in his 40s, claimed that the management of the company had forced him to sign a resignation letter before throwing him out of the job despite 16 years of service.
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Meanwhile, a senior police officer in charge of security said Srinath had brought the kerosene in a bottle concealed in a packet. The security staff will be questioned to ascertain whether there were any security lapses on their part.