Trivandrum couple who threatened self-immolation over eviction from home succumbs to burn injuries

A couple in Thiruvananthapuram, who accidentally caught fire while threatening the police of immolating themselves to resist eviction from their house, succumbed to the burns injuries on Monday.

It was on December 22 that Rajan, 47, and his wife Ambili, 40, of Neyyatinkara in the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram, staged a protest against the police and revenue officials who tried to evict them from their house citing a court order based on an allegation of encroachment.

Rajan and Ambili doused themselves in petrol and threatened to immolate themselves if they were evicted. Rajan also held a lighter in his hand. When the police tried to prevent him from taking the drastic step, the lighter accidentally lit the fire and Rajan and Ambili were set ablaze. Both suffered serious burn injuries and passed away on Monday.

Their children, Renjith and Rahul, allege that the police was responsible for their parents' death as they caught fire while the police tried to forcefully stop them. They also alleged that the police did not help them to rush the two to a hospital. Video footage of the incident had also gone viral.