Delhi Man Sets Himself On Fire As House Sealed Over Non-Payment Of Loan

A 33-year-old man died allegedly after pouring petrol over him and setting himself on fire when bank staff members came to seal and take possession of his house in northeast Delhi's Gokalpuri area on court orders, police said on Sunday.

The man, Kapil Kumar, succumbed to injuries in the early hours of Sunday, they said.

On Friday, court staff along with bank officials arrived at northeast Gokalpuri police station and provided a court order seeking police assistance to take possession of a property in the locality, they added.

According to the police, on reaching the site, the staff concerned in the presence of police started their work in accordance with the court's direction.

As the process of confiscation and sealing was underway to get possession of the house for which the loan was not repaid to bank, the proprietor of Vanshika Collections, Kapil Kumar, who was at a distance from his property, poured petrol over him and set himself afire.

The police personnel extinguished the fire by putting a blanket, a senior police officer said.

The police staff took him to GTB Hospital, he said.

However, around 3.40 am on Sunday, the hospital informed them that the man had died. The body was handed over to the family members of Kapil Kumar after post-mortem, the officer added.

"We have registered a case under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code at Gokalpuri police station and the investigation is underway," he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)