Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Oct 6: A 55-year-old tea stall owner who allegedly set himself on fire inside a police station in Telangana's Nizamabad district died at a private hospital on Tuesday, a day after the incident, police said.

According to police, the man entered the premises of Bheemgal Police Station on Monday carrying a bottle of petrol and a matchbox. He allegedly poured petrol on himself and set himself ablaze.

Police personnel and others present at the station extinguished the flames and rushed him to a private hospital. He had reportedly suffered more than 50 per cent burns.

"He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital while undergoing treatment on Tuesday," a police official said.

The body was later shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem examination, police said.

Police said the man was upset over alleged threats from two local reporters. According to the police, a grocery shop owner had allegedly sent the two reporters to threaten him after he stopped purchasing cigarettes and other items from the shop.

Police also said a petty case had been registered against the tea stall owner for keeping his shop open beyond permitted hours. A sub-inspector had asked him to pay the fine in court, they said.

Nizamabad Police Commissioner P Sai Chaitanya had said on Monday that there was no fault on the part of the police in the matter. Police said a case had been registered and further investigation was underway.