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| ‘Jobless’ travel agent, family attempt self immolation | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, May 20 (KNS): A travel agent tried to set himself and his family members afire at Press Enclave here on Friday. However, timely intervention by photo journalists saved the family.
Eyewitnesses said Tariq Ahmad Rather, his wife, two sons and mother tried to set themselves ablaze this afternoon. Some of the press photographers who watched the family trying to self immolate intervened and they had a tough time dousing the flames.
Rather blamed some travel agents for taking the extreme step. “I had a shop in Lal Chowk from where I carried on my business for the last 15 years. I was evicted by the government and given alternative accommodation inside the tourist reception centre in the city. But travel agents there did not allow me to carry on my business. I contacted police and tourism authorities, but they didn’t help. I’ve been starving since then,” he told reporters before trying to immolate himself and his family.
“I’ve been pushed to the wall. I have nothing to support my wife, mother and two sons. My kids have been thrown out of school,” he claimed.
Immediately after talking to reporters, Rather and his family sprinkled kerosene oil on them and tried to self immolate. However, local photographers doused the flames and police arrived on the spot and arrested the five.
However, the SHO Police Station Kothibagh, Shafiq Ahmad told KNS that the family has been released. “We called the concerned travel agents with whom they had dispute and settled the issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, a 10th class student, Shakir Ashraf Bhat, was drowned in river Jehelum near footbridge near Lal Mandi when he alongwith his friend jumped in the river.
The search for Shakir’s body continued till late in the evening.
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