In stark contrast to the action of two MBBS students in throwing a dog from a terrace days ago, a young woman today allegedly set herself ablaze upset over her husband abandoning her pet cannine and its newborn puppy in a desolate area, police said.

Shanthi suffered about 85 per cent burns and is battling for life at a local hospital in Namakkal District, they said.

Deeply attached to her pet dog, she could not bear the trauma of being separated from it.

The incident bringing to fore Shanthi's passion for dog came close on the heels of the medical students being arrested for throwing a dog from the terrace of a building with the video of the act going viral, triggering condemnation from animal lovers and welfare activists.

"A dog lovingly reared by the woman was taken away and it was left in a desolate place by her husband," Paramathivellur Police Inspector Kumar said.

He said she self-immolated as she could not bear the trauma of getting separated from her pet animal.