Man attempts suicide over financial problems

Family had earlier claimed Zaheer had been burnt in incendiary attack

KARACHI:

A man who was initially reported to have sustained burn injuries in an “incendiary attack by muggers” in Surjani Town has now revealed to police that he actually attempted suicide due to financial issues.

Forty-year-old Zaheer, son of Amin, who is married and has a daughter, confessed to police that he doused himself with petrol and set fire in Kaneez Fatima Society on Saturday night.

Zaheer, who is currently under treatment at the Burns Ward of Civil Hospital, further said in a statement to police that he had been facing severe financial issues for the past few months. He lives in a rented house with his family but the landlord has evicted them due to non-payment of rent.

Zaheer said that he had not paid his house rent for the last three months and the landlord was demanding the outstanding dues. On the day of incident, he picked a fight with his wife and decided to end his life. According to him, he bought petrol for Rs50 at a petrol pump, sprinkled it on himself and set fire. Earlier, Zaheer’s brother told The Express Tribune that his brother, who works at a local carton factory, had gone to Kaneez Fatima Society to collect money from someone who owed him Rs15,000.

When he was returning home, two muggers riding a motorcycle intercepted him to snatch the money, according his brother. When he put up resistance, the muggers threw some incendiary on him and fled with the money.

Zaheer caught fire in the mysterious incendiary attack which baffled police who said that they have initiated an investigation to verify the claim. Dorctors at the Civil Hospital say that Zaher has received 40 per cent burns.