Summary:
Pilibhit: A 60-year-old man and his physically disabled wife allegedly attempted to immolate themselves on the Bisalpur tehsil campus after local leaders “demanded a bribe” for allocating funds for the construction of their house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).However, policemen deployed on the campus thwarted their attempt.Bisalpur sub divisional magistrate Vandana Trivedi ordered a probe and sorted the dispute within hours.According to Lala Ram and his wife Shanti Devi, residents of Ward Number 4 in Barkhrea town under Bisalpur tehsil circle, their mud house had collapsed about a month ago in monsoon rains.“Later, I was sanctioned a house under PMAY (U) but Jamil Ahmad, the husband of town area chairperson Idrisan Begum, and Mohan Swaroop, the husband of ward member Urmila Devi, have been demanding Rs 25,000 in bribe for the transfer of fund into my bank account, which I could not fulfil” Lala Ram alleged.After their suicide bid was thwarted, they threatened to commit suicide on September 24 if their grievance was not redressed.SDM told TOI, “Lal Ram has a bank account in Baroda UP Gramin Bank, while for the transfer of funder under PMAY (U), the beneficiary needs to have a bank account in a nationalised bank”.“I have directed in-charge officer of town area committee Nafees Ahmad to assist the beneficiary in opening an account with an nationalised bank and ensure transfer of fund to it without any delay”, Trivedi said..