The chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Forum, Mohammed Ahsan Untoo, on Tuesday tried to immolate himself at Red Cross road in Srinagar.

"The chairman of JKHRF poured kerosene oil over his body and set himself on fire. Police immediately rushed to the spot to put out the fire. They took Untoo in a vehicle to a nearby police station," said one witness.

The attempt came on the Human Rights Day. The chairman of the JKHRF was demanding setting up of an inquiry commission to probe cases of rights violations in the state since 1990.

He said that the new government headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had failed in meeting "my demand for setting up of the commission".