“Sadhu Vijay Das (who set himself ablaze) in Deeg is stable now. The Sadhus have ended their protest (over stone mining). The state government will issue a notification in the next 15 days to declare its as a forest area. Mines located here are old mines,” District Collector, Alok Ranjan told ANI.

Amid protests over illegal mining in the area, Sadhu Vijay Das on Wednesday attempted self-immolation after which police officials rushed him to the hospital. For a long time, locals and sadhus had been demanding a ban on the mines.

Rajan further added, “These mines will be shifted and about 2,500 people who will be unemployed as a result, will be employed somewhere else…The state government intends to make it (stone mining area) into a religious tourism spot.”

Earlier on Tuesday morning, a sadhu climbed atop a mobile tower to protest stone mining in the area, and eventually he was persuaded to come down.