Doctor snatches lighter, saves man from self-immolation in Patiala

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, July 8 

A doctor of the Health department in Patiala rescued a dairy owner from self-immolation on Tuesday night by snatching the lighter the man was going to use to set himself on fire.

The doctor—along with other health officials—had gone to Top Khana Mor to convert the area into a micro-containment zone when he saw a person trying to self-immolate. The person is said to be the owner of a milk dairy in the area and was worried about the shutting down of his shop owing to the containment of the area.

The man first spilt litres of milk on the road and then poured petrol on his entire body in the presence of police officials.

Dr Mohammed Parvez Farooqi ran towards him and snatched the lighter from his hand before he could set his body on fire.

The doctor, along with a health worker, thereafter calmed him down by assuring him that he could run his dairy shop with precautions.

Doctors face hostility

Doctors faced abuses and threats from the residents in the area. Following the incidents of abuses, the doctors had to convey to the state health authorities about the ill-treatment in the hands of the residents.

Dr Farooqi said, “It is more of a stigma than fear of coronavirus. It is said that there has been a trust deficit between the doctors and the people.”