Retired Officer Dies By Self-Immolation In MP's Gwalior; Reason Under Probe

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): A retired officer from the Accountant General’s (AG) Office allegedly died after setting himself on fire at his residence in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior.

According to information, the incident took place in Birla Nagar New Colony No. 1 on Friday.

The deceased, identified as 62-year-old Rajendra Kumar Gagolia, had gone to take a bath in the evening but did not come out for nearly an hour. 

When his son, Harsh (31), knocked on the door and got no response, he noticed a burning smell. Looking through the ventilation window, he saw his father lying on the bathroom floor with severe burn injuries.

The family broke open the door and rushed him to the hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU burn ward. Despite efforts, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Police reviewed the CCTV footage from the house, which showed Gagolia appearing normal before the incident. He was engaged in routine activities. However, before going to bathe, he was seen bringing a bottle, suspected to contain a flammable liquid. In another clip, he was seen sitting on the terrace smoking a bidi, then taking the bottle into the bathroom. Shortly after, he reappeared, smoked again, and later went back into the bathroom - where the incident occurred.

Police suspect suicide

Hazira police station in-charge Shivmangal Singh Sengar said the CCTV footage shows the deceased carrying a flammable liquid into the bathroom. Initial investigations suggest it was a case of suicide, but the exact reason for the act is still being probed.