SHRC seeks report on family immolation bid in Rajkot

 State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought a detailed report from Rajkot Municipal Commissioner and city police commissioner regarding the death of three out of five members of a family who set themselves on fire in the civic body office.

"We have sought a report from Rajkot Municipal Commissioner and city police commissioner regarding the entire incident. We will study the report and decide whether any further action needs to be taken or not," SHRC member Sudhir Sinha told PTI.

"If appropriate action has been taken and culprits have been brought to book, we will not need to go and conduct an enquiry. But if required action has not been taken, then our members will go and conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident," he added.

Five members of a Nepalese family had set themselves ablaze to protest a drive to evict them from their house in the premises of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) yesterday in which three of them died while the other two are in a serious condition.

The family was given permission to construct a small hut in the common plot of Chhotu Nagar Cooperative Housing Society in Raiya Dhar area by the society members but the family allegedly covered 900 sq yard common plot and also constructed a house illegally.

The society members then went to a civil court, which ordered that the construction was illegal and the family should be evicted from the plot.

The court ordered in the favour of the society after which the five members of the family, fearing that they may be evacuated, set themselves on fire.