NEW DELHI, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Two farmers in the southern Indian state of Telangana set themselves on fire in a bid to resist demand of bribe from a local government official, police said Monday.
The farmers, aged 23 and 25, torched themselves outside a local lawmaker's office on Sunday in Karimnagar, 179 km north of Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana.
"Both the farmers have suffered severe burns and are undergoing treatment at a government hospital," a police official said.
The farmers, according to reports, had approached a revenue office to claim land under a scheme for underprivileged farmers.
But the officer reportedly demanded a bribe of 312 U.S. dollars from each to process their case.
On Sunday, the duo approached their local lawmaker's office to complain but were denied meeting after over five hours of wait.
"They waited for more than five hours outside lawmaker Rasamayi Balakishan's office before they were told that the politician cannot meet them," a villager said. "Angry and frustrated, both of the farmers poured kerosene over them and lit a match to ablaze themselves."
The local government said an investigation has been ordered into the incident.
