Cuttack: Student attempts immolation

With the anti-reservation stir in Orissa continuing, a post-graduate student of the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack caused a flutter when he attempted self-immolation on Saturday evening, but he did not suffer burns.

Surendra Mohanty, a PG student, took everybody by surprise when he tried to set himself ablaze outside the police outpost in the hospital premises.

• The Reservation Issue

He was immediately overpowered by onlookers and agitating students who were planning to take out a candlelight procession, eyewitnesses said.

Mohanty was rushed to the casualty department.

Doctors who attended on him said he had not suffered burns.

But his condition appeared to deteriorate forcing the agitating medicos to shift him to the ICU.

Whether he had consumed any poisonous substance was being investigated, hospital sources said.

City DSP Kumarmani Meher said investigation into the incident was in progress and efforts were on to ascertain the motive behind his attempt.

It was yet to be confirmed whether the self-immolation attempt was linked to the anti-reservation agitation, Meher said.