The driver is battling for life in hospital after he set himself ablaze yesterday.
Highlights
- After paying fine for not wearing seat belt, the driver argued with cops
- Cops reportedly hit him with an iron rod when he clicked their pictures
- The driver then attempted suicide by immolating himself
A sub-inspector of the Chennai traffic police has been moved out of duty after a 21-year-old cab driver attempted suicide by immolating himself on the IT Corridor after the cop allegedly hit him for not fastening his seat belt.
The driver, identified as Manikandan from Sankarankovil in southern Tamil Nadu, is battling for life in hospital after he set himself ablaze at yesterday. He has sustained 59 per cent burn injuries.
After he paid the fine for not wearing a seat belt, he subsequently picked up an argument with the traffic cops and allegedly tried to click pictures with his mobile phone about "police harassment", according to news agency PTI.
"The police hit me with an iron rod. They also snatched away my original licence and abused me mentioning my caste. I took their visuals. They dared if I'd share them on WhatsApp and YouTube," Mr Manikandan said in a video message on WhatsApp. Soon after, he reportedly took out a fuel can from his car, doused himself and immolated himself.
"A team of doctors has been constituted to treat him. We are hopeful that he would survive. He's in the ICU at the moment," said Dr P Vasanthamani, the dean of the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital.
Soon after the incident, over 100 people blocked the busy road in protest.
Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan visited the driver in hospital. "Action will be taken against police personnel if they are found erring and responsible for this," he said. The sub-inspector has been asked to wait for his next posting till the probe is complete.