Tamil Nadu cabbie, who set himself on fire after tiff with cops, dies; magisterial probe ordered

Chennai: A 21-year-old cab driver, who had set himself ablaze in full public view here on Wednesday after a tiff with traffic policemen over spot fine, succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

The shocking incident has led to the suspension of a police sub-inspector and the matter being referred to a magisterial probe, a senior police official informed.

The bereaved family members of Manikandan – a native of Tirunelveli district – have demanded strict action against all the police officials allegedly involved in the incident.

They have even threatened to launch a stir if their demand was not met.

The 21-year-old cab driver was on Wednesday fined for allegedly not fastening his seat belt while driving his car on the busy Rajiv Gandhi Salai.

Though he had paid the fine, he subsequently picked up an argument with the traffic police personnel and allegedly tried to click pictures with his mobile phone about “police harassment”.
He later recorded a video alleging that police treated him badly and beat him up.
Alleging that he was humiliated in full public glare, the driver then suddenly took out a petrol can from his car, poured the fuel all over his body and set himself ablaze.

He was rushed to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, a specialty institution for treating burn injuries.

The incident came a month after a man set on fire his two children and wife before committing self-immolation in front of the district collectorate in Tirunelveli over alleged harassment by a money-lender.