Hyderabad: A 37-year-old woman is in critical condition after she attempted suicide by setting herself ablaze at the Punjagutta Police Station yesterday.
According to reports, the woman hails from Chennai and took the extreme step after she was dejected by her 51-year-old mining businessman beau from the city, TOI reports.
“Lokeshwari had married a man named Srinivas in 2000. When their daughter was eight-months-old, Srinivas left her,” said Punjagutta ACP Tirupatanna.
She met Praveen Kumar, from Bapanna Basti, in Warasiguda, while on a trip to Tirupati in 2012.
“In 2013, Praveen Kumar had set up a jewellery store in Somajiguda and appointed Lokeshwari as its manager. They were living together in BS Maqta,” the officer added.
Things turned awry when Praveen lodged a complaint against Lokeshwari in the year 2014 alleging her of stealing 23.5 tola gold from his shop.
The woman was arrested after the charges were made and later got acquitted. She moved back to Chennai after her acquittal.
The duo was no longer in contact after the incident. On Friday, the woman and her landlord, Kannan came to Hyderabad searching for Praveen.
“On Tuesday evening, Lokeshwari wrote a letter addressing ACP Punjagutta alleging that Praveen Kumar had duped her of Rs 1 crore. She asked Kannan to hold the letter and walked to the police station. She then doused herself with petrol and set herself ablaze,” West Zone DCP A R Srinivas said.
The woman engulfed inflames ran inside the Police station. By the time the cops doused flames she already sustained severe burns and was rushed to NIMS hospital from where she was moved to Osmania general hospital.
“Kannan said that Lokeshwari brought him to Hyderabad saying that she has to collect Rs 50 lakh from Praveen. She suffered 78 per cent burns. Her dying declaration is being recorded. We are trying to trace Praveen,” the ACP said.
The woman had purchased petrol from a petrol pump after showing her Aadhar card to make the purchase, the ACP said.