Grieving Indian man dies after jumping into cousin’s burning pyre
An 18-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after he jumped into his cousin sister’s funeral pyre in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, authorities said.
The man, identified by his first name Karan, lived about 450km away and had traveled to Sagar after hearing about his cousin’s death, reported news agency Press Trust of India.
Police in the Sagar district said the incident took place at the Majhguwa village. Karan’s 21-year-old cousin, identified as Jyoti Daga had died after falling into a well in the village, reported NDTV.
Officials said Daga had gone missing on Thursday, and a search party of villagers had gone looking for her after she failed to return home.
According to Baheria police station in-charge Divya Prakash Tripathi, Daga had left the house to go to a farm to buy vegetables on Thursday evening.
They later found her body in the well and informed the police.
Karan traveled to the village on Friday on his motorcycle after hearing about his cousin’s death.
During Daga’s last rites that evening, Karan allegedly jumped into her funeral pyre, the official was quoted as saying to PTI.
Villagers pulled him out of the pyre and rushed him to a nearby hospital but he died on the way, Bharat Singh Ghosi, the sarpanch (village head) of Majhgawan village was quoted as saying to NDTV.
His last rites were conducted on Sunday, near where his cousin’s pyre had been lit.
Mr Tripathi said that an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances leading to the incident.
