Telangana Hotelier Who Set Himself Ablaze at Police Station Succumbs to Injuries

A 60-year-old hotelier who allegedly set himself ablaze inside a police station in Telangana’s Nizamabad district succumbed to his burn injuries at a private hospital on Tuesday.

Polasa Sudhakar, who ran a small hotel near Bheemgal Bus Stand, had suffered around 90 per cent burns after allegedly pouring petrol over himself and setting himself on fire on the premises of Bheemgal police station on Monday.

Police personnel reportedly rushed to extinguish the flames and shifted him to hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment on Tuesday morning.

Sudhakar’s family members alleged that repeated police action and harassment over the hotel had driven him to take the extreme step. Relatives subsequently gathered outside the Bheemgal police station and staged a protest, demanding justice and an investigation by senior police officials.

The dispute was reportedly linked to a petty case concerning the hotel allegedly operating late at night and tables being placed outside the establishment after 10 p.m. Sudhakar reportedly told police that he had been questioned several times and fined on three occasions.

He had also allegedly questioned why action was being taken against his establishment when other businesses were operating late and said the small hotel was his source of livelihood.

A fresh case was registered over the issue, following which Sudhakar was asked to appear at the police station, sign the proceedings and appear before a court to pay the fine. His family alleged that he was unable to bear the repeated action.

Nizamabad Police Commissioner P. Sai Chaitanya, however, denied allegations that police harassment led to Sudhakar’s death and said the police were not at fault.

Police also said the owner of a grocery shop opposite Sudhakar’s tea stall was allegedly unhappy that Sudhakar did not purchase cigarettes from his shop and had allegedly sent two men to threaten him.

Traders in Bheemgal observed a shutdown on Tuesday, demanding action against those responsible for the incident.

Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and former minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy was placed under house arrest in Hyderabad while preparing to travel to Nizamabad to meet Sudhakar’s family. He blamed alleged police harassment for the hotelier’s death.

The allegations surrounding Sudhakar’s death remain disputed, with the family alleging police harassment and the police denying any wrongdoing.