Senior citizen commits suicide in Uttam Nagar

Depressed over living alone and deteriorating health, an 80-year-old man set himself on fire in west Delhi on Tuesday.

Depressed over living alone and deteriorating health, an 80-year-old man set himself on fire in west Delhi on Tuesday.

HT Image

The police said the man was a retired Indian Railways official and lived with his wife in Uttam Nagar. Shiv Dayal allegedly poured kerosene on himself and set himself on fire at 10 am, said police.

According to police, the incident came to light after a neighbour informed the police that he saw Dayal running out of his house after setting himself on fire.

The neighbours poured water and covered him with blankets but by that time Dayal was badly burnt. His wife, Angoori Devi (72), was not present in the house when the incident took place.

Police said the deceased’s son Yogender had come to visit him an hour before the incident. Dayal has two sons, Yogender and Mahender, who did not live with him. No suicide note was recovered from Dayal’s possession or from the spot, police added.