Bhubaneswar: In a dramatic turn of events, police prevented a couple from attempting self-immolation along with their 7-year-old daughter near the Odisha Legislative Assembly in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The couple, hailing from Kotasingha village of Boudh district, reportedly decided to immolate themselves due to their daughter’s prolonged illness, which had not shown any improvement despite regular treatment.
According to the father, the family had been struggling to cope with the girl’s health condition for the past seven years. In a bid to seek help, the couple had borrowed money from fellow villagers to travel to Bhubaneswar and meet Chief Minister Mohan Majhi.
The father expressed his desperation, stating that if the government did not provide assistance, he would be forced to abandon his child and leave. The couple had earlier drawn the attention of the Collector, who had arranged for necessary medical treatment for the girl. However, the treatment had not yielded the desired results.
According to eyewitnesses, the parents carrying inflammable materials intended to set themselves and their child ablaze to get attention. However, a few alerted police personnel stopped the couple on Gandhi Marg, near the Assembly, and prevented them from carrying out their plan and the family was safely restrained.
