Bahrain man threatens self-immolation over family dispute, gets three years in jail

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A Bahrain man who put his own and his family members' lives on the line with self-immolation and murder threats had found his way to jail. The High Criminal Court found the 33-year-old man guilty in a case filed by his 65-year-old father and awarded him a three-year jail term. Case files say the suspect poured a can of petrol over his head and threatened to set himself on fire after an altercation over changing car tyers. He allegedly held a lighter in his hand and reportedly threatened to set alight anybody who approaches him.

The suspect’s father, recounting the ordeal during the trial, told prosecutors that it was his who called him and frantically told him about the happening.

“I received a call from my wife, and she told me that he and others in the house were squabbling over a car tyre, which he removed from his sister-in-law’s car.” “My wife wanted to speak to our son and calm him down. So, I called and asked what the trouble was. He said, “there is a bomb in the car.” I tried to talk him down, but there was little success. “He then started threatening to set himself and the house on fire,” the father said, adding that he didn’t take him seriously and cut the line.

However, after some time, my wife rings me again. “She told me he is threatening to self-immolate by pouring petrol over his head and went inside his room.” “I immediately called the police and alerted them of the situation. Cops arrived at my house quickly. They tried to put him under control and detained him after a struggle,” he continued. Public Prosecution charged the suspect with attempting to set his family’s house alight and trying to kill himself and his family members. The court also ordered a mental health evaluation of the suspect, proving the suspect mentally fit.