A 49-year-old woman who attempted suicide by setting herself ablaze in Idukki succumbed to her injuries at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, on Saturday.
The deceased, Anikkunnel Sheeba Dileep, is a resident of Asarikandam, near Nedumkanadam.
According to the police, the incident occurred around 2.30 p.m. on Friday when the woman attempted suicide by setting herself ablaze following revenue recovery proceedings initiated by a bank over a loan taken.
According to sources, the woman doused petrol over her body and set herself ablaze while the confiscation process was going on. Sub-inspector Benoy Abraham, 52, and civil police officer T. Ambily, 35, attached to the Nedumkandam Police Station, also suffered burn injuries while trying to rescue the woman, with the CPO suffering serious burn injuries.
According to sources, the original owner of the land had taken a bank loan, from whom a second party purchased the property while the loan was yet to be repaid, which was then sold to Sheeba’s family. According to sources, the unpaid loan amount is around ₹60 lakh.
The body was shifted for postmortem examination. Sheeba is survived by her husband, Dileep, and children, Abhijith and Nithula.
“The South Indian Bank has not extended any loans to the victim. Certain other borrowers availed of a loan from the bank’s Nedumkandam branch in September 2015, which had turned into Non-Performing Assets in March 2018. The recovery proceedings started in June 2018, and the Thodupuzha Chief Judicial Magistrate appointed Advocate Commissioner in March 2023. The incident occurred while the Advocate Commissioner appointed by the court enforced the court orders. The bank has exercised complete compliance to the provisions of the law before initiating recovery steps,” said an official statement issued by the bank.
The Youth Congress workers conducted a protest march at the bank’s branch office in Nedumkandam on Saturday.
