Woman Tries To Immolate Herself Outside Calcutta High Court

A woman allegedly attempted to set herself ablaze outside the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, but an alert policeman saved her life, officials said.

The woman, identified as Purnima Halder, was rushed to the state-run SSKM Hospital following the incident, they said.

Halder, along with Sutisna Sampui and Vandana Naskar, was demonstrating outside Gate E of the high court, alleging that their names were removed from the voters' list of a cooperative society in South 24 Parganas.

Amid the protest, Halder suddenly took out a bottle of kerosene from her bag and poured it on herself and was about to set herself ablaze when the policeman stopped her.

"During interrogation, the women alleged that elections were held this year in the Amagachia Shrishti Sangha Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited. During the election, the names of several members were omitted. A case was filed at the Calcutta High Court regarding this," a police officer said.

"The women were upset that, despite the court order for a new list of voters to be published, the cooperative society did not do it. They also alleged that the cooperative society had been taking money for a long time by promising high interest rates. Now, they are not returning that money. That is why they were upset and tried to commit suicide," he added.