Woman sets herself, son ablaze, unable to celebrate son’s birthday
3 Jan 2009
PUNE: In a shocking incident, a woman committed suicide by setting herself ablaze along with her one-year-old son because she was unable to celebrate his birthday on Thursday evening.
The Hinjewadi police have identified the deceased as Sujata Vishnu Sherkar (28), and her son as Shivam of Ranpise chawl in Bhavdan.
According to the police, Sujata was under tremendous pressure, after she found that she was not in a position to celebrate Shivam’s first birthday. The couple were staying in a rented house in Bavdhan.
The police said that Sujata, who is a housewife, could not make alternative arrangements to celebrate the birthday because her driver husband, Vishnu, was unemployed. This led her to take the drastic step of ending her life as well as that of her son’s.
According to the police, Sujata set herself and Shivam ablaze around 7 pm by pouring kerosene. Shivam died instantly due to severe degree burn injuries before he could be administered medical treatment. Sujata, who received 100 per cent burn injuries, died on Friday morning while undergoing treatment at the Sassoon general hospital.
The police also said that Vishnu, who tried to douse the fire, received 20 per cent burn injuries.
After the incident came to light, police hawaldar Satyavan Thakur registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Sujata under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code.
