Kerala: Man sets himself on fire near BJP’s Sabarimala protest venue

A 49-year-old man set himself on fire and ran towards the venue where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protest on Sabarimala temple in Kerala today. The man has been identified as Venugopalan Nair, reported to have suffered 60 percent burns injuries.

According to reports, the incident took place around 3am in the morning outside the state secretariat. After pouring petrol, he set himself on fire and ran toward the protest side. He was an Ayyappa devotee, was chanting ‘Swami Saranam’ hymns in flame.

BJP workers and police immediately doused the fire and took him the Government Medical College hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where he is being treated.

According to the Hindustan Times report, Nair is said to be a sympathiser of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and his relatives said that he was disturbed over the situation in the Sabarimala temple.

The Hindu shrine has been witnessing violent protests by a section of devotees and right-wing groups since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter and worship at the temple.

The situation took an ugly turn when Kerala government without any delay implemented the apex court’s order. Both the Congress and BJP feel the affidavit of the state government supporting women entry led to the top court’s verdict.

As the shrine opened for the annual pilgrimage on November 17, the state government imposed many restrictions at the hilltop and the base camps to tackle protesters and deployed more than 10,000 police personnel.

Police are busy investigating all the angles and said that at the time of the incident, Venugopalan Nair was in inebriated condition and also had some family issues, reported ANI news agency.