Kendrapara, Nov. 8: Upset over non-release of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) housing scheme grants, a 45-year-old man tried to set himself on fire in front of the district collector's office here today.

The incident took place around 10.30am when the collector's office wore a deserted look as most of the administrative officials and employees were out on duty at Mahakalpada for the chief minister's meeting there.

The victim has been identified as Niranjan Singh, 45, a native of Samagudia village in Kalapada gram panchayat on the outskirts of the township.

District collector Debendra Prasad Das said: "An inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The administration will take necessary steps in this regard after we get the inquiry report."

Eyewitnesses said Singh poured kerosene on himself, lit a matchstick and set himself on fire. There was no security staff deployed around the collector's office at that time. A couple of onlookers rushed to his rescue by pouring water on him as blaze engulfed him, said police.

"We were taken aback at the sudden immolation bid. The man was sitting under the portico in the collector's office. Suddenly, he poured kerosene oil on himself from a plastic jar and lit a matchstick. As fire engulfed him, we poured water on him to extinguish the blaze," said eyewitness Binay Dhal.

Singh was rushed to the district headquarters hospital. He suffered more than 40 percent burn injury. He was later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated.

"We have registered a case and have begun our probe," said inspector in charge of Kendrapara police station Sanjeev Mohanty.

Singh's wife Ranjita said: "My husband was forced to attempt to end his life because of the insensitivity of the district administration. We have been reeling from acute poverty. He does not have any permanent source of income. I had applied for a job as an Accredited Social Health Activist, but did not get it. We had been running from pillar to post to get the Indira Awas Yojana grant, but to no effect."

In another development, traffic congestion due to the chief minister's meeting at Mahakalpada led to stranding of 108 ambulances carrying critically-ill patients. The ambulances stood still on Jamboo-Mahakalpada road because of the traffic congestion.

An ambulance carrying snakebite victim Sridhar Rout (54) stood still on the road for nearly two hours as vehicles had lined up to reach the venue where the chief minister was addressing the public meeting.

"We left Mahakalpada Community Health Centre at 9.45AM. But the ambulance was halted for ninety minutes due to the jam. It took us more than two hours to reach the district headquarters hospital in Kendrapara which otherwise would have taken 40 to 45 minutes in normal circumstances," said Sridhar's relative Srinibas Rout.