Woman burnt to death while lighting candles for Kali Puja in Kolkata
Times of India | 31 October 2024
KOLKATA: An 82-year-old woman, who was residing alone at Sarsuna Township in the Sakuntala Park area after both her daughters settled overseas, lost her life after suffering 30 percent burn injuries while trying to light her Kali Puja candles at her residence on Wednesday evening.
Doctors at CMRI Hospital, where the victim, Jyotsna De, was admitted after the incident, said she suffered a massive cardiac arrest almost two-and-a-half hours after the incident.
An unnatural death case was registered at Sarsuna Police Station in this regard, and cops are carrying out a postmortem to ascertain the exact cause of death.
According to the neighbours of De, she was looked after by two caregivers, each staying for 12 hours with her during the day and night.
"Around 7 pm, she asked her morning caregiver to light 14 candles and diyas as part of the Choddo Pradip culture prevalent across households a day before Kali Puja. She then asked the caregiver to leave after locking the main gate as it was puja time, and she could manage to stay alone till the next caregiver arrived an hour later. However, around 7.40 pm, she noticed that one of the candles was not burning anymore. She decided to light it up all alone. In doing so, her saree caught fire from one of the candles that were placed behind her wearing apparel," recalled a neighbour.
Cops said that by the time the victim realised her saree was on fire, she was severely burnt. She managed to drag herself to the bathroom and pour water on herself. She also managed to call her caregivers and brother over the phone, and they rushed to her residence.
However, another hour was lost before neighbours could rush in and arrange an ambulance to send her to the hospital.
"De, residing at H2/154 Sakuntala Park, Sarsuna Satellite Township, received burn injuries while she was lighting the candles. She was removed by local people and taken to Narayana Hospital in Behala. On being informed that they have no burn ward, she was removed to CMRI Hospital where she got admitted. During her treatment, she expired on Wednesday night," said Rahul De, DCP (Behala).
It was around 2.30 am in the early hours of Thursday that Sarsuna PS received one DC MC email from Alipore PS detailing the incident, said the DCP.
"No foul play could be detected, and no complainant has been received from any corner as yet. However, a U.D. case at Sarsuna PS (No. 45/2024) has been started," DC De added.
Cops said that with maximum deaths reported in this manner from added areas in the past two years, and overall 16 such deaths in the same period, at least three police stations in the area will launch a door-to-door campaign and also hold community interactions on the best practices of lighting earthen lamps.
According to sources, cops will request the presence of someone younger whenever the elderly light the earthen lamps so that they can manage in case of an accident.
"Most often, the accident leaves the senior citizen in shock, and it becomes too late before she can react," stated a cop. A sensitisation camp in this regard has already been initiated for all senior citizens who come under the KP’s Pronam programme.
If alone, cops will also request senior citizens to desist from lighting earthen lamps or incense sticks. Those who indeed need to light the earthen lamps can take some basic precautionary steps, stated cops.
"Elderly citizens who live alone should keep a bucket of water near the place where they are lighting lamps... it can help in dousing fire in case of an emergency," an officer of the rank of assistant commissioner said.