A man allegedly tried to immolate himself in Jammu on Monday protesting against government's decision not to allow a function to pay tributes to the victims of the Amarnath agitation.
Jaswant Singh, a 35 year-old vegetable seller, sprinkled kerosene on his body and set himself ablaze at his shop in the presence of dozens of people while chanting Bum bum bholay in Gagwal village of Kathua district, official sources said in Jammu.
By the time people tried to douse the flames, Singh had fallen on the ground and was immediately rushed to the government medical college hospital with 70 to 80 per cent burn injuries.
About 150 people blocked traffic on the Jammu-Pathankote highway after news spread about Singh's attempt at self-immolation, sources said.
The function was to be organised on September 20 by Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti that spearheaded the two-month long agitation, but after the activist reached the venue, they were told that the booking had been cancelled.
The police batoncharged the agitated people and fired in the air when some fo them tried to gatecrash.
Two people have so far committed suicide over the Amarnath land issue by consuming poison.
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