Chhapra: The immolation bid by a commerce college professor in Bihar's Chappra was thwarted due to the timely intervention by the guards present on the spot. Rajan Raj alias Bhola Srivastava of Rajendra College, Chappra, in Saran district, attempted self-immolation due to non-payment of salary for the past 23 years.
Rajan Raj alias Bhola Srivastava has been working as a professor in the commerce department of Rajendra College, Chhapra. The college is affiliated with Jaya Prakash University (JPU). He has been without salary since April 18, 2000. Prof Srivastava's service has not been regularised and he has been working on an ad hoc basis.
The professor while crying inconsolably, said, "My life was completely ruined. I have lost my mental balance. I resorted to extreme steps because I had not been paid a salary since April 18, 2000. Living in hardships, my two children's future is also at stake. Fortunately, security guards posted on the university campus noticed my self-immolation bid and luckily I was saved. Had they not been present on the campus, something untoward would have happened."
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Narrating his woes, the aggrieved professor said, "I have been working as a professor in the commerce department of the college. I get a salary on the basis of daily contributions. But, my salary has been stopped since April 18, 2000. All other universities are providing salaries to teachers working on an ad hoc basis. The Vice-Chancellor of the university asked the principal of the college to disburse salary to those who are working on an ad hoc basis. But, nothing happened. No one is listening to my problems. That's why I attempted a self-immolation bid."
