WOMAN SETS HERSELF ON FIRE IN PROTEST

A woman in a Madhya Pradesh village set herself on fire in protest against the antiencroachment drive being carried out in her farmland by the local administration.

A video showing the woman identified as Shabra Bi (45), suddenly turning her into a ball of fire after pouring kerosene on herself while protesting against the antiencroachment drive has gone viral.

Although the incident occurred on Tuesday, it came to light on Thursday when former chief minister Kamal Nath tweeted the video demanding a probe into it.

The woman, a resident of Atwas village under Satwas police station in Dewas district, received 20 percent burns following the incident. She has been admitted to a hospital in Indore. Her condition was stated to be stable.

Her husband Ramzan Khan alleged that the authorities were destroying the soybean crop in their field. “I do not know from where Shabra brought kerosene to immolate herself. She poured kerosene and lit herself by the time we could take a note of it”, he said. However, Dewas DSP Shivdayal Singh said Shabra Bi and ten others attacked the team of police and revenue officials leading to injuries to two revenue inspectors.

“There was a complaint that Shabra Bi and her family had encroached upon government land. The revenue court had settled the issue last week and the revenue team had gone there to free the land of encroachment when Shabra Bi and ten others attacked them”, he said.