In an incident that has sent shock waves across Kerala, a 29-year-old woman who was set ablaze by her estranged husband in full public view, has succumbed to her injuries.
Jeethu, was set on fire by her husband Viraj on Sunday afternoon as she was waiting at the Kudumbashree office in Chengaloor in Thrissur district.
Though her father tried to intervene and begged others present at the centre, including Kudumbashree workers and village council members to intervene, Viraj doused her in petrol and set her on fire.
She was rushed to a hospital in Chalakudy but Jeethu succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday morning.
The couple had been estranged for a while and divorce proceedings were reportedly on between them.
The police have not managed to arrest Viraj who had fled the scene after setting Jeethu on fire.
According to reports, Jeethu, a Dalit woman, was in a conversation with the Kudumbashree officers about a loan she had taken when Viraj suddenly approached her with a petrol can in his hand.
Jeethu’s father Janardhanan told Manorama News that Jeethu’s brother had threatened them and no one from the Kudumbashree office helped his daughter.
He alleged that the CPI (M) ward member was part of the conspiracy as his daughter had been summoned to the office by the member.
“The ward member threatened my daughter over phone about the loan payment. We then went to the office. I was not standing next to her when she was doused with petrol. She ran and he started chasing her. I also ran behind them, but he pushed me and set her on fire. My daughter kept on screaming, she was on fire. But no one bothered. The ward member and even Viraj’s brother were there. Even when the auto driver asked for help to shift her into the vehicle, no one came forward. Only one person came with water,” Janardhanan said.
“The panchayat member was there, there were many others too. They were all apparently staring and many did not help to rush her to hospital. They did not even call the police. Viraj’s brother had come to the spot on his bike and so it was definitely planned,” a villager told media.
Many villagers and family members have accused that the CPI (M) ward member did not intervene and that other party members were supporting Viraj.
“Only the auto driver helped her father. No one else was willing to help. Even a terrorist is treated better,” a person close to the family told media.
However, Ambili, the Panchayat President of Puthukad said that she had learnt from those who were at the spot that the incident happened within a matter of minutes and no one had any time to react.