A 22-year-old woman who suffered serious burn injuries after she was set on fire on Friday, December 17 by a man at a grama panchayat office in Kozhikode district of Kerala has died. The man, who had been stalking her and had set her ablaze by pouring petrol on her, also died after setting himself on fire. The woman suffered 98% burn injuries and Nanadkumar had 95% burn injuries.
Krishnapriya, who joined as a project assistant in the panchayat a week ago, was attacked just outside the gate of her office. She was a postgraduate in computer science. Nandakumar (26), a native of Thikkodi, had been stalking her and had proposed to her, which she and her family declined.
Both have been admitted to the Kozhikode Government Medical College hospital. The incident was reported from Thikkodi grama panchayat office at around 10 am.
An employee of the panchayat said the flames were contained and both were rushed to a hospital in Koyilandi before being shifted to Kozhikode Medical College.
When the locals spotted the flames, they rushed and poured water to douse the fire. But the young woman died on Friday evening and the man died around 2 am on Saturday. Nandakumar who was on a vrutham (fast) for Sabarimala pilgrimage, was a daily wage labourer.
It was on December 9 that Krishnapriya was appointed as the project assistant, planning department in the panchayat office. The woman's parents alleged that Nandhu was an abusive person and had been causing trouble. They alleged that Krishnapriya was scared of him.