Tragic Self-Immolation After Fee Dispute Escalates
A 20-year-old college student in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district set himself on fire after facing alleged humiliation and physical assault by his college principal and police personnel over unpaid fees. Ujjwal Rana, a second-year BA student, suffered catastrophic over 70% burns during the incident that occurred on Saturday morning at his college campus in Budhana.
The Desperate Video Statement Before Tragedy
In a chilling video recorded two days before his self-immolation attempt, Ujjwal had explicitly detailed the harassment he faced. The young student claimed he had managed to pay Rs 1,700 of his fees but still had Rs 7,000 pending. "They refused to submit my examination form for the third semester," Ujjwal stated in the video that has since gone viral on social media platforms.
The student described how the principal allegedly humiliated him publicly, stating that "this college is not a Dharamshala" before physically assaulting him. "The principal pulled my hair and beat me up," Ujjwal recounted in the video. When he tried to advocate for other students who couldn't pay fees, the college administration called the police, who according to Ujjwal, "abused me and pushed me out of the college."
The Horrific Campus Incident
The tragedy unfolded at approximately 11:30 AM on Saturday when Ujjwal poured an inflammable liquid over himself and set himself ablaze within the college premises. Disturbing videos circulating on social media show the student completely engulfed in flames while fellow students desperately tried to help him.
Eyewitness accounts and family members present a troubling picture of the immediate aftermath. They allege that no teacher or staff member intervened to save the burning student. Ujjwal reportedly lay in excruciating pain for nearly half an hour before police arrived and transported him to medical care.
By the time students managed to extinguish the flames, Ujjwal's condition was critical - his clothes completely burnt and his skin blackened from the severe burns.
Medical Emergency and Family Background
The severely burned student was initially taken to a local hospital, then referred to Meerut, and eventually transferred to a specialized hospital in Delhi due to the gravity of his injuries. Medical authorities confirmed he had sustained over 70% burns across his body.
Ujjwal hails from Khakaroban village where his father, Harendra, works as a farmer cultivating sugarcane on their 13 bighas of land. The family had already experienced tragedy with the passing of Ujjwal's mother a few years earlier, making the current incident particularly devastating.
Official Response and Police Action
Later on Saturday evening, Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Umesh Mishra and Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjai Kumar Verma visited the college and ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Budhana police registered a formal case based on a complaint filed by Ujjwal's sister, Saloni, against the college principal and others involved. CO Budhana Gajendra Pal Singh confirmed that the complaint was received at 1 PM on Saturday and assured that "strict action will be taken against anyone involved in instigating the student."
Regarding allegations of police involvement in the assault, SP Muzaffarnagar Sanjai Kumar stated that "the SPRA of Muzaffarnagar is probing the role of the police personnel who have been accused in the matter. If the investigation confirms their involvement, strict action will be taken."
Currently, Ujjwal remains hospitalized with two sub-inspectors deployed for security, and authorities have stated that the student is out of immediate danger despite the severity of his burns.
