Neyyattinkara: A 47-year-old man who tried to immolate himself during an eviction drive carried by the authorities has succumbed to severe burns.
The deceased is Rajan who resided near the Nettathottam Colony at Pongil in Neyyattinkara. He had made a suicide bid along with his wife on Tuesday after officials tried to evict him from an encroached land.
Rajan, who suffered over 50 per cent burns, was undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. He died on Sunday.
His wife Ambili is also undergoing treatment for burns. A cop, ASI Anil Kumar, also suffered burn injuries as he tried to rescue the couple.
Rajan had said he made the suicide bid to deter the cops, but the fire spread as the police knocked off the lighter.
The case history
Officials, along with the police, had turned up to carry out the eviction on Tuesday as per the order of the munsiff court at Neyyattinkara, further south of Kerala's capital city Thiruvananthapuram.
Rajan's neighbour Vasantha had filed a case a year ago, alleging that Rajan had encroached upon her three cents of plot. Subsequently, she had got a favourable verdict from the munsif court.
But Rajan carried out some construction activities on this plot and the court appointed a commission in June to remove these. However, the judicial proceeding could not be completed as Rajan protested. Then, officials sought police assistance for the eviction on Tuesday.
The visuals of the incident, shot by a relative of Rajan, had surfaced on social media.
(Suicide is not a solution to any problem. Seek the help of psychiatrist, if needed. Helpline numbers: 1056, 0471- 2552056)
