India state protester dies after setting himself ablaze

(Courtesy : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8527605.stm)

An Indian teenager has died of his injuries after setting himself on fire during protests for a new southern state of Telangana.

S Yadaiah, 19, set himself ablaze on Saturday in the city of Hyderabad.

The unemployed orphan died of his injuries in hospital on Sunday. A note he is reported to have left said the proposed state would mean more jobs.

Andhra Pradesh, from which Telangana would be carved, has seen weeks of protests for and against the new state.

Campaigners say Telangana's economic development has been neglected in favour of the richer and more powerful Andhra region - and that a new state is the only solution

Divisions

Reports say Mr Yadaiah doused himself with petrol from a bottle kept in his bag, and lit a match while watching a procession of university students.

"The suicide note in his bag shows that he was frustrated due to lack of proper employment," police official Srinivasa Rao was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper.

"He wrote that a separate Telangana state would ensure jobs for hundreds of youths like him and that he was immolating himself in protest against the delay in formation of the new state."

In December, India's government said that Telangana would be carved out of the northern districts of Andhra Pradesh, but later said more talks were needed.

The government has decided to set up a committee to look into demands for the formation of Telangana state.

Correspondents say there are deep divisions within political parties over the Telangana issue.

The final decision to create a new state lies with the Indian parliament, but the sharply divided state assembly must pass a resolution approving its creation.