The five family members, including three women, turned up at the civic body office with kerosene-filled containers around noon on Wednesday, it said, adding that they poured kerosene on their body and set themselves on fire protesting the proposed demolition of their house located in Raiyadhar area of the city. [break]
Three members of the family died at Rajkot civil hospital while two others are critical and battling for their lives, the report said. The family feared eviction from their shanty as civic body officials were planning to raze it in a drive to remove illegal structures.
"We were being harassed by the civic body officials, society members and local politicians to vacate our house which they called illegal. They had threatened us to demolish it which prompted us to take this extreme step," family member Gauri was quoted telling media persons after the incident.
Three persons who died are: Ashaben Bharatbhai, 35, Girish Mansingh, 25, and Bharat Mansingh, 40, while Vasumati Mansingh, 60, and Rekha Mahendrabnai, 32, are critical and battling for their lives in the hospital, the website said.
Related story
India travel restrictions won’t affect Nepalis: Embassy
