Odisha Woman Attempts Self-Immolation Failing To Sell Land

A 50-year-old woman on Monday attempted to set herself on fire on the premises of a local administration office in Jajpur district accusing the tehsildar of harassing her over selling a plot of land.

The woman belonging to Neulpur village was, however, overpowered by the local people and staff of the Dharmasala Tehsil office and rushed to a nearby hospital.

I decided to die by suicide after failing to sell a plot of land despite repeated attempts and harassment by the tehsil administration, she said.

The woman claimed that she wanted to sell the plot to meet the educational expenses of her two sons, who are pursuing higher studies.

I had approached the Dharmasala tehsildar to permit me to sell a piece of consolidated land four months back. He directed me to go to the Revenue Inspector's (RI) office and I collected the required report from the RI concerned.

When I met with the tehsildar with the report, he further directed me to contact Jajpur sub-collector's office and after running from pillar to post for about a month I got the sanction from the sub-collector, she said.

The woman claimed to have met the tehsildar with all the reports a couple of weeks back during which she was asked to come after some days.

The victim said when she met the tehsildar concerned at his office chamber on Monday, he denied her permission for selling the land as it is Chaka' land and allegedly misbehaved with her.

When contacted, Jajpur collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore said, The victim's land is not permitted for sale under law as it is Chaka land. As per Chakabandi (Consolidation) law, it doesn't allow fragmentation of the landholding for sale .