In Madhya Pradesh, woman sets herself on fire protesting crop destruction

Former chief minister Kamal Nath tweeted the video, attacking CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and urging the government to conduct an investigation into the case.

A woman farmer set herself ablaze to protest an anti-encroachment action taken by the administration in Dewas district, 153 kilometres west of Bhopal, as per police.

The incident came to light after a video went viral on social media in which the woman is seen setting herself ablaze in front of a team of government personnel while a JCB machine is seen destroying the crop in her farm field. (Videograb)

Shabra Bi, 45, a resident of Atwas village under Satwas police station, about 55 kilometres from the district headquarters received 20% burns. She was referred to a hospital in Indore where her condition is stated to be stable, said police.

The incident, which took place on Tuesday, came to light on Thursday after a video went viral on social media in which the woman is seen setting herself ablaze in front of a team of government personnel while a JCB machine is seen destroying the crop in her farm field.

Former chief minister Kamal Nath tweeted the video, attacking CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and urging the government to conduct an investigation into the case.

CM Chouhan is currently undergoing treatment for coronavirus in a hospital.

“A sister is setting herself afire under the rule of who calls himself Mama (maternal uncle). A hapless woman had to resort to setting herself on fire to protest her crop being destroyed with a JCB machine,” Kamal Nath tweeted.

The woman’s husband, Ramzan Khan, alleged that the authorities ignored their pleas to stop.

“A joint team of revenue and police departments came with a JCB machine and wanted to destroy our soybean crop. They refused to hear our pleas for not destroying the crop.

“We are very poor and solely depend upon this crop which was sown in 2 bigha land. The team of government personnel beat us up and pushed Shabra Bi. I don’t know from where Shabra got kerosene and poured it on herself. Before we could understand what had happened she set herself afire,” said Khan.

However, Dewas superintendent of police (SP), Shivdayal Singh said, “Shabra Bi and 10 other members of her family attacked the team of police and revenue departments personnel resulting in injuries to two patwaris, Kishor Chawre and Dileep Jat and a revenue inspector Rajendra Dhurve.”

The Satwas police station registered an FIR against Shabra Bi and 10 others under section 147 (rioting), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causes hurt to any person being a public servant in the discharge of his duty as such public servant,), 294 (using obscene language), 506 (criminal intimidation) and under a section SC/ST Act.

The SP said, “There was a complaint that Shabra bi and her family had encroached upon government land. The matter was settled in the revenue court last week and the revenue team had gone to the village to remove the encroachment with the help of police when Shabra Bi and her family members pelted stones and hurled abuses on the team. Later she set her dupatta afire that caused burn injuries to her.”