HYDERABAD: Onlookers foiled a man’s attempt at self-immolation outside the local press club on Tuesday in protest against the alleged indifferent attitude of the Mirpurkhas police towards him and his family in the face of death threats they were receiving from criminals for long.

Khalid Leghari, a resident of Daulat Leghari village of Mirpurkhas city taluka, sprinkled petrol over his body and torched himself but onlookers quickly intervened to foil his suicide attempt. He received burns and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Mr Leghari told the media that the city taluka police were not arresting three criminals who had kidnapped his wife and a child on March 24 although they helped recover the victims. He said the criminals had constantly been harassing and threatening the family with dire consequences before and after the kidnapping but police never arrested them. He alleged that the criminals, running a vice den, had been occupying his house.