A distressing incident unfolded outside the Bombay High Court on Monday evening when a 53-year-old man attempted to take his own life by self-immolation, reportedly driven by a long-running legal and compensation dispute.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the man, later identified as Prakash Sawant, suddenly began protesting at Gate No. 4 of the court premises, raising slogans against a lawyer and an official before dousing himself with petrol and igniting it.
Court security personnel, police officers and bystanders quickly intervened to extinguish the flames, after which Sawant was rushed to Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital in South Mumbai. Medical officials said he sustained severe burns over nearly 50–55 % of his body and is currently under critical care.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Sawant’s drastic action stemmed from unresolved grievances over a land dispute and alleged legal malpractice. Sawant, a resident of Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra, reportedly lost land acquired for a public project and has been pursuing compensation and justice through various authorities for several years. He claimed that despite paying a lawyer a significant fee to file a case on his behalf, the matter saw little progress, prompting him to file complaints with the Bar Council and the High Court.
According to sources, the High Court had ordered partial reimbursement from the advocate, but Sawant alleges that a remaining balance and interest were never refunded, adding to his frustration and distress.
Police have registered a case at Azad Maidan Police Station and are investigating the circumstances leading up to the incident, including reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements.
