Chennai: Facing a lot of hardship due to failure of an employer to release last month’s salary, an employee of a popular restaurant here immolated himself outside the restaurant’s head office in T. Nagar, on Friday.
Police identified the deceased as Uday Shankar (25) of Echanpatti, Dharmapuri district. He lived in a rented house in Guduvanchery. He worked as waiter at the Guduvanchery branch of a popular restaurant in the city.
Police said, on Friday evening, he came to the restaurant’s head office on his two-wheeler and lit himself. Those present in the restaurant put off the fire and sent him to the Kilpauk government medical college and hospital, where he was declared to be in a serious condition with 82 percent burns. Late on Friday night, he died. Pondy Bazaar police registered a case and began enquiries.
Primary investigations revealed that the restaurant held the victim’s salary for more than a month since his relative one Ajith, who worked in T. Nagar branch of the same restaurant, escaped with a huge amount from the restaurant and never came back for work.
Sources said that on Friday also Uday had approached the head office at T. Nagar and asked his head, Thenappan, to release his salary, but he refused.
Frustrated, Uday allegedly took petrol from his two-wheeler, sprinkled it on himself and lit himself.
Eyewitnesses said that Uday had tried to run inside the office with flames all over him, but two other employees, Mahesh Kumar and Saravanan stopped him and they also sustained minor burns.
They were shifted to KMC where their condition is said to be out of danger.
Police said, a case has been registered and based on the dying declaration taken by Fast Track Court magistrate Girija Rani, severe action will be taken on those responsible for Uday’s death. Investigations are on.
