Tension prevailed outside the premises of the District Collector’s office after four elderly women – a mother and her three daughters tried to immolate self and alleged that they had been cheated off property by the woman’s son and the sisters’ brother.

Murugammal (97) hails from Kuppanurai area near Coimbatore. She has three daughters, Marakkal (75), Lakshmi (70) and Papathi (65) and a son, Rangasamy (55). Murugammal alleges that Rangasamy had pilfered 12 acres of her property.

Murugammal alleged that after Rangasamy’s death, his wife who also goes by the name Papathi, had been harassing her and also denied to return the property. She also added that she had given numerous petitions to this effect to the District Collector’s office since the past year and added no action has been taken.

Today, as they tried to immolate themselves in front of the District Collector’s office, police personnel overpowered them, foiled the bid and took the ladies away.