Man Attempts Self-Immolation in Ambajogai Courtroom, Overpowered by Lawyers

An accused man poured petrol over himself and threatened to commit self-immolation inside Courtroom No. 1 of the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Ambajogai, Beed district, around 12:30 pm on Thursday. The attempt triggered shock and panic in the courtroom during active proceedings before alert lawyers overpowered him and police took him into custody.

The accused was identified as Vilas Kundlik Ghuge, a resident of Ladevadgaon village in Kaij tehsil. Ghuge was attending regular proceedings in the court alongside his son and his defence counsel when the incident unfolded.

During the hearing, Ghuge alleged before the magistrate that the complainant in the case had been spreading defamatory rumours about his wife in their village. He demanded that the court immediately summon the complainant, warning that he would end his life if his demand was not met.

Before anyone inside the room could react to the threat, Ghuge pulled a bottle out of his pocket and emptied approximately half a litre of petrol over his body. He then produced a matchbox, threatening to set himself on fire.

Advocate I A Gawali rushed forward and managed to overpower Ghuge before he could strike a match. Assistant Public Prosecutor S M Waghmare stepped in and snatched the matchbox from Ghuge's hands, while several other lawyers in the room moved in to help restrain him.

Waghmare immediately alerted the local police, who rushed into the courtroom and took Ghuge into custody. A police official confirmed that a criminal case has been registered against Ghuge and a further investigation into the incident is underway.