A 45-year-old man set himself on fire and attempted to immolate himself outside the office of the Superintendent of Police in Shahjahanpur here in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, police sources said here.

Police sources said that Tahir Ali, a resident of Kant town, reached the SP office in the afternoon, poured some inflammable substance and set himself on fire.

"The police personnel present on the spot immediately swung into action and doused the flames with the help of blankets," they said.

Police sources said that Tahir, who sustained burn injuries in the incident, has been admitted to the hospital.

"Tahir is having a dispute with a person named Umesh Tiwari over the sale of two small goods vehicles due to which he took this step," they said.

Tahir alleged that Umesh Tiwari had snatched his two small goods vehicles. He claimed that Tiwari gave him money in bits and pieces and was not returning his vehicles.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashok Kumar Meena said that Tahir gave a complaint last month.

He said that when the complaint was probed it was revealed that Tiwari bought two vehicles from Tahir for which made the payment.

He said that Tiwari also gave proof of payments to the inquiry officer. "Tahir wanted that he gets back his vehicles about which he was informed to move the court," he said.

Meena said that regarding Tuesday's incident an inquiry has been handed over to the SP (City).

"Action will be taken after the inquiry. It will also be looked into whether Tahir was provoked to do so," he said.

(With UNI inputs)