Kendrapara Police kicks out family members of self-immolation victim

Kendrapara: In an inhuman act, police on Saturday night allegedly thrashed the family members of Niranjan Singh, who succumbed to burn injuries after self-immolation bid, while staging a protest in front of the district Collector’s office.

According to sources, police has also dispersed them from the spot and forcibly sent Nayak’s body to his residence.

Protesting the gross apathy of the district administration, family members of Nayak on Saturday staged dharna in front of the office of the Kendrapara collector by keeping the body and demanded compensation of Rs 20 lakh, job to one of the family members and arrest of the collector.

Blaming the collector for the death of her husband, Ranjita Singh lodged a complaint against him with the Kendrapara Town Police Station.

“We have sent the body of Singh to his village in the presence of his family member. Even after assurance from district administration, the family members of Singh did not withdraw their strike. So we applied force to disperse them,” said Kendrapara ADM.

Notably, Singh attempted self-immolation on November 8 in front of the Collectorate in Kendrapara and succumbed to burn injuries while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Saturday.

Also read: Home guard who attempted self-immolation outside CM Naveen’s house dies

Alleging harassment by police, Singh (45) of Samagudia village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town, had doused himself with kerosene before setting on fire. He was admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) and later shifted to SCB after his condition deteriorated.