Former colonel accused in marijuana case threatens to immolate self and family near South Block

For ten years ex-Colonelu00a0 Balwant Singh Barari has been fighting for his honour. But he has finally run out of patience.

Fading Hopes: Ex-colonel BS Barari with his family protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday Pic/Rajeev Tyagi

The former Army officer, who was court-martialled for having alleged links with the Assam drug mafia, exposed after a truck laden vehicle with marijuana was caught, plans to immolate himself and his family today. Though, the Army had instituted an inquiry into the matter, he didn't get a satisfactory response.

Frustrated with the government and the Army's inaction, the ex-colonel, who has been protesting at Jantar Mantar since March 11 and has been on indefinite fast since March 21, has written a letter to senior ministers of the UPA government, seeking sanction for joint immolation by his family today.

In the letter, dated March 26, Barari said, "As the government has not given us any mercy or relief we no longer want to prolong this wretched, pitiable lifestyle and have decided to put an end to all our sorrows and sufferings by immolating ourselves as a family at 1200 hrs on March 30, 2009... He has also asked that he along with his family members should be allowed to march to South Block, North Block and Rashtrapati Bhawan before burning themselves to death.

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