A man facing eviction to make way for the Batumi bypass road has attempted to self-immolate before stabbing himself in the stomach.

In footage published by Adjara-based TV 25, the man is seen standing on the roof of his home pouring what appears to be petrol over himself before being wrestled to the ground by several men, during which time he reportedly stabbed himself several times. The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The man’s family lives in Khelvachauri, a town on the outskirts of Batumi, and is being evicted by the representatives of the National Bureau of Enforcement.

According to the local news agency Batumelebi, a court seized the Jakeli family home to make way for the construction of the Batumi bypass road.

According to the Roads Department, ‘the construction of a 14-kilometre section of the Batumi bypass road will facilitate international transit traffic’. The agency wrote in 2019 that the construction of this section of the road was scheduled for completion in 2020, however, construction is ongoing.

According to Batumelebi, the house in question is not registered in the public register. They report that the family was offered compensation of around ₾200,000 ($64,000).

Before the eviction, the family had a banner in front of their residence reading: ‘Russia is the occupier of our country, Georgian Dream of our family.’