Self immolation bid by couple during anti-encroachment drive in MP

A husband and wife duo committed suicide by immolating themselves in protest against an anti-encroachment drive being carried out by the administration in the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.

The couple poured some inflammable liquid on their bodies before setting themselves ablaze and sustained serious burns when a part of their under construction house was about to be demolished.

Advertisement

According to the police, the incident occurred in Satwas under the Khategaon tehsil. Santosh Vyas and Jaishree Vyas run a stationery and photocopy shop at the Satwas bus stand. They are building a house in a colony in the area. However, a complaint was lodged against them alleging that part of the house was being built on an encroached land. Hence, a team of the district administration led by the area’s Tehsildar, along with police and a JCB machine, reached the spot and ordered the demolition of the said part.

When the couple objected to the demolition, claiming that they had all the necessary building permissions from the administration and no government land had been encroached upon, an argument ensued between them and the authorities. Following an altercation, both Santosh and Jaishree poured an inflammable liquid, suspected to be petrol, on their bodies and set themselves ablaze. Amid panic and commotion, people rushed to douse the flames but by then they had already suffered grievous burns and were rushed to the hospital at Satwas.

Since the condition of the couple was serious, doctors at the facility referred them to an Indore hospital for advanced treatment.

Meanwhile, family members of the couple and residents of the area staged a protest blocking the road, raising slogans against the district administration.

The family members accused the administration of unduly taking action even though the couple had all the required permissions for construction of the house.