Kochi, December 29: In a shocking incident, a couple in Kerala died after they were accidentally immolated while trying to thwart an attempt by the cops to evict their family. According to a report by TheNewsMinute, the man  succumbed to burns while his wife too passed away. The couple, who belonged to Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram, had sustained severe burn injuries. The report informs that the man- identified as 47-year-old Rajan was accidently set ablaze on December 22. While Rajan succumbed to injuries on Sunday, his  40-year-old wife Ambili died on Monday.

The report informs that several cops and a judicial commission appointed by a Neyyattinkara court had  gone to Rajan's house at Nellimoodu on December 22, and had asked  the family to vacate it immediately as per court order. The order to vacate the house was on the basis of a complaint by a neighbour which was filed in June. Reports inform that even in June, there was an attempt to evict the family from a shed that Rajan constructed on the land. Madhya Pradesh: Woman Attempts Self-Immolation After Anti-Encroachment Drive Through Her Farm in Dewas, Mob Injure 3 Revenue Officers.

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The video of the incident shot on December 22, Rajan was seen pouring petrol over him and his wife, asking officials to stay away and not to come closer to him. The report informs that the couple were set ablaze when a police official attempted to move closer to them with a lighter out of his hand. A cop, who tried to save the couple, also sustained minor burns.

The couple is survived by two kids, who made an  appeal to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that the parents' body was cremated in the same land from where the family was supposed to be evicted. Rajan’s son, Ranjith was quoted in the report saying that Rajan's counsel, who he had assigned the case, had betrayed him, adding that the police and the plaintiff knew that there would be stay on the court order and hence the police came to evict the family. The children of the deceased couple accuse the police of high-handedness, leading to the tragedy.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2020 03:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).