A 45-year-old history-sheeter allegedly set himself on fire outside a police outpost in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district on Diwali night, after police questioned his son in connection with a celebratory vehicle procession, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place outside the Bahua police outpost on Monday night when Shailendra alias Shailu, a resident of Rajnagar in Bahua, poured petrol on his body and set himself ablaze, Additional Superintendent of Police (Fatehpur) M P Singh said.

The police personnel and home guards on duty immediately rushed to his aid, extinguished the flames and took him to a Community Health Centre in Gajipur. Singh, who sustained about 30-per cent burns, was subsequently referred to the district hospital and then shifted to the Chandani nursing home

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