Grocery Store Owner Attempts Self-Immolation at Coimbatore Collectorate

A grocery store owner from Coimbatore attempted self-immolation at the District Collector's office on July 8, protesting his daughter's elopement and alleged theft of money and jewelry from his home.


Coimbatore: In a shocking incident, a grocery store owner attempted to set himself on fire in front of the Coimbatore District Collector's office on July 8. The man, identified as Gunasekaran from Sundharapuram area, was prevented from taking the extreme step by alert police personnel on duty.

Gunasekaran, who owns a grocery store on Loganathapuram Mudaliar Street, had come to the Collectorate with his wife and mentally challenged son to submit a petition to the District Collector. The petition was regarding his daughter Bhuvaneswari, who had allegedly eloped and married without the family's consent.

According to Gunasekaran, his daughter Bhuvaneswari, who worked at a private IT company in Coimbatore, left home on June 7 under the pretext of going on a company tour. On June 18, she reportedly married one Naveen Kumar and approached the Saibaba Colony Police Station to inform about their love marriage.

Gunasekaran alleged that his daughter had taken 5 lakh rupees in cash and 4 sovereigns of gold jewelry from their home when she left. Additionally, he claimed that 1 lakh rupees from his shop's G-pay transactions to the bank were also missing.

Distressed by these events, Gunasekaran attempted to douse himself with petrol he had concealed in a bag. However, vigilant police officers intervened swiftly, engaging in a dialogue with him and eventually escorting him away from the premises.

Later, speaking to the media, Gunasekaran stated that he had submitted a petition to the authorities requesting the recovery of the stolen cash and jewelry, as well as the missing G-pay transaction amount.

The incident has raised concerns about the challenges faced by families dealing with elopements and the extreme measures some individuals resort to in times of distress. Local authorities are expected to look into the matter and address the grievances raised by Gunasekaran.

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