October 23, 2017
A family of four – husband, wife and two children – on Monday morning attempted self-immolation in front of the Tiruneveli district collector’s office. Three of them later succumbed to severe burn injuries at the government hospital in Tirunelveli.
The Tamil Nadu government has sought a report from the district administration after the morning incident sent shock wave across the state. A magisterial inquiry is on in the incident.
District collector Sandeep Nanduri told media persons after visiting the four in the hospital in the afternoon that “the investigation will be done very thoroughly and no one guilty will be spared.”
On Monday, the four — Isakki Muthu, his wife Subbulakshmi and children, five-year Madisaranya and one had half year old Akshya Bharani, doused themselves with petrol and set themselves on fire in the busy collectorate area in the morning.
The reason for them to take drastic life was that Isakki Muthu was being harassed and threatened by a local moneylender. For a loan of Rs 1,40,000 he has already paid close to Rs 2 lakh but still he was being badgered for money by the moneylenders people.
His brother Gopi, who tried to save his brother and family members, also got burn injured and was taken to the hospital. He is safe but Isakki Muthu is still said to be in serious condition.
Collector Nanduri told media persons that he would tackle the issue of moneylenders by forming a special cell and deploy a special team to deal exclusively with complaints of problems due to money lenders.
“We will form a helpline for people troubled by money lenders,” he said.