Belarus Man Hospitalised After Setting Himself On Fire

A man with burns covering half his body was hospitalised in Belarus on Friday after setting himself on fire in front of the government building in the capital Minsk, investigators said

Minsk, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jan, 2021 ) :A man with burns covering half his body was hospitalised in Belarus on Friday after setting himself on fire in front of the government building in the capital Minsk, investigators said.

The self-immolation attempt took place in Minsk's Independence Square, a major focal point for months-long protests against strongman Alexander Lukashenko's rule.

Investigators said a 35-year-old man doused himself in "unidentified liquid" and set himself on fire.

Passers-by and police then helped put out the flames.

"He is currently hospitalised," the Investigative Committee said in a statement, adding that authorities were working to establish what had happened.

The Health Ministry said the man had extensive burns covering more than 50 percent of his body.

The ex-Soviet country has been gripped by historic protests since Lukashenko claimed re-election last August extending his 26-year rule in a vote the opposition says was rigged.