Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): State program manager of the People’s group in Bhopal, ended his life by setting himself on fire following an argument with his wife at their residence in Awadhpuri on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, police said. The woman survived, however, the entire flat was gutted in the fire, said police. The woman told police that her husband had tried to strangulate her before setting himself ablaze.
Awadhpuri police station house officer (SHO) Roshanlaal Bharti said the man who took the extreme step has been identified as S Pradeep Nair. The man was working as state program manager of the People’s group in the city. As learnt by the police, Nair had landed in an argument with his wife Niharika around 1 am, as she had returned home late from work. The woman, who works at a private firm, told police that her husband first tried to kill her by strangling her, but was unsuccessful as she fought back. Before she could recover from her husband’s assault, she saw her husband doused kerosene on himself, and before she could do anything he set himself on fire.
Niharika came running from the house and alerted her neighbours, but by then, the flames had engulfed the entire flat. The fire intensified as a lot of documents were kept inside the house. The fire brigade and the police were informed, after which four fire tenders were sent to the site. It took two hours to bring down the blaze. Nair was found charred to death. His body was taken to AIIMS hospital, and has been kept inside the mortuary. The police got Niharika’s medical examination conducted too, and are probing the incident.
