Alathur (Palakkad): A young man who set himself on fire outside the Alathur police station on March 25 passed away on Thursday afternoon. The deceased, identified as Rajesh (30), was the son of the late Radhakrishnan and Geetha.

Rajesh, a resident of Njarakode House in Kavasseri, sustained severe burns, covering 90% of his body, during his suicide attempt. He was receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Thrissur Medical College Hospital.

The incident occurred after Rajesh was summoned by the Alathur police on March 25 regarding a complaint filed by a woman from Athipotta. Both parties were engaged in discussions, and a formal agreement was reached to resolve their issues amicably.

Later, Rajesh procured a can of petrol, set himself on fire, and rushed into the police station, where he collapsed from the impact.

Despite efforts by the police to extinguish the flames, Rajesh suffered severe injuries. He received initial treatment at the Government Taluk Hospital in Alathur before being transferred to Thrissur Medical College. He provided a statement to the magistrate while undergoing treatment.

Rajesh had been employed on a Malaysian ship and had returned just six months prior. He had also worked in Odisha for a period. He had been residing in Kerala for the past two months.

He had gone to Malaysia following his sister Reshma's marriage and was currently living alone in their Pathanapuram (Palakkad) residence. The body will be brought home on Friday after the completion of the post-mortem examination.

(Attention: Suicide is not a solution to any problem. Those struggling with mental health issues should seek help from professionals. The 'Disha' helpline provides free counselling and support services. Dial toll-free helpline number: 1056 or 0471-2552056)