Woman attempts self-immolation before assembly

Bhubaneswar: A woman on Friday attempted self-immollation in front of state assembly building here after failing to trace her husband, kidnapped an year ago.

Nirmala Behera (26) of Patakeberana in Nayagarh district poured kerosene on herself and her daughter. She was about to set herself on fire when the police intervened and saved her.

"I don`t want to live. I have failed in my quest to find out my husband. I moved from pillar to post but was turned away", she said.

Narrating her plight, Nirmala said a group of people forcibly entered her house in March 2011 and kidnapped her husband, Jaria Behera. Two cases were registered in Ranapur police station in this connection.

Seeking immediate action, she sat on dharna in front of the tehsil office at Ranapur on June 6, 2011. However, she was persuaded to end the dharna after being promised remedial measures.

The woman further alleged that those who had kidnapped her husband were now threatening her that if she insisted to know the whereabouts of her husband, they would kidnap her daughter and finish her off as well.

Nirmala claimed that she had met the superintendent of police, Nayagarh, and drawn his attention to her helplessness.

Earlier, she had come to the state capital on December 26 and threatened self-immolation in front of the assembly unless the administration helped her. She was dissuaded from taking recourse to take such a step and was given an assurance that action would be taken.

She had written letters to the chief minister, local MLA, police commissioner, Bhubaneswar and the local police telling them she would self-immolate in front of the assembly on Friday, she said.