Youth sets himself on fire protesting seizure of his rickshaw

Staff Correspondent, Savar: A 35-year old youth allegedly set himself on fire in protest against the seizure of his battery-run auto-rickshaw in Ashulia area of Savar.

The youth is identified as Shamim Shikdar, a resident of Ashulia area. He hailed from Morelganj upazila of Bagerhat.

Sources said Shamim Shikdar was pulling his auto-rickshaw with passengers on Baipile-Abdullahpur highway in Ashulia. Traffic Sergeant Aminur Rahman seized the auto-rickshaw as pulling battery-run auto-rickshaw was banned on the highway. Shamim Shikdar requested the traffic police to give back the auto-rickshaw to him. He went away from the spot after failing to get his auto-rickshaw.

After some time, Shamim Shikdar poured kerosene on his body and set himself on fire in front of Baipile traffic police box, leaving him burnt. Later, the police official took him to a local hospital, the source said.

Shamim Shikdar was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) as 25 percent of his body was burnt. Now he is being treated under police custody.

Asked, Traffic Sergeant Aminur Rahman said, “Pulling battery-run auto-rickshaw was banned on Baipile-Abdullahpur highway in Ashulia. Auto-rickshaws of those violating rules are seized on regular basis. It was totally out of his imagination that the auto-rickshaw driver could set himself on fire.”

risingbd/Savar/June 30, 2017/Safiul Islam Sakib/Amirul