Bhubaneswar: A woman allegedly made an attempt to die by setting herself on fire in Odisha’s Puri district, making it the sixth such incident in the state in just over a month.
Of the six cases, four, including two minors, died.
In the latest incident, a 37-year-old woman who was reportedly under debt burden, set herself ablaze at her rented house in Pipili town Wednesday when her husband and daughter were not present, a police officer said.
She is under treatment in AIIMS Bhubaneswar in a critical condition.
Locals rushed her to Pipili hospital initially. Later, she was shifted to the AIIMS as she suffered 70 to 80 burn injuries, family sources said.
Puri Additional SP Sachin Patel said the police have seized a bottle used to carry kerosene, a handwritten suicide note and a match box.
“During preliminary investigation, we found that she made an attempt to die by suicide due to debt burden. In the suicide note, however, she has not blamed anyone,” Patel said.
Urmila Mohapatra, a member of the State Commission for Women (SCW), Thursday visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar to record her statement. However, she failed to do it as the patient was not in a condition to speak.
“As per statements of her family members, the woman was found burnt when her husband was not in the home. They have also said that there is no family dispute,” Mohapatra said.
This is the sixth incident of women or girls setting themselves on fire in several districts for various reasons since July 12.
A student of self-immolated inside her college in Balasore district July 12 and she died two days later on that day. She had accused a teacher of sexually harassing her.
The 15-year-old girl of Puri district was set on fire on July 19 and she died August 2. Her family initially complained that three unidentified miscreants were behind the incident. The police, however, said no one else was involved.
A college student died after she allegedly immolated herself at her house in Kendrapara district August 6 over reported blackmail by her ex-boyfriend. She died on the spot.
A 13-year-old schoolgirl, who allegedly set herself on fire at a village in Bargarh district August 12, died in a hospital on the same day.
A woman of Dhenkanal district also set herself ablaze August 13 following a quarrel in the family. She is undergoing treatment in a hospital.
PTI