Neyyattinkara: Vasantha, neighbour and complainant in the incident of a couple being immolated amid suicide threats, said that she has done nothing wrong and will not give away land to the children of the couple. 

She has been taken in police custody. The action is in view of the law and order situation after a large number of people protested outside her house here on Tuesday.

“I have done nothing wrong or harmed anyone. I will move legally. Everyone is saying now, it’s not my land. I have to prove it. I will give away land to the poor, but not to them, not to those who displayed goondaism. I am ready for court arrest and to go to jail,” she told the media.

Following this, a large group of people assembled in front of her house and protested. Police arrived at the spot and took her into custody.

Earlier the day, Minister Kadakampally Surendran had visited the house of the deceased couple, Rajan and Ambili. Younger son Ranjith had explained the matters to the minister.

Chief Minister also has intervened in the matter and instructed the district administration to speed up procedures to build a house for the children. Also the education expenses of the children will be looked after by the government.

The heart-breaking incident took place on December 22. Rajan (47) and Ambili (40) who were residing near Nettathottam colony in Pongil here, attempted to set themselves on fire when the Lawyer's Commission and police tried to evict them from their house as part of a court order.

Rajan held Ambili close to him and poured petrol on themselves. He raised suicide threat when the authorities came to evict them. Meanwhile, the police tried to shove off the lighter from his hand but the fire spread all over. Grade SI Anilkumar also sustained slight burns in the accident.

Rajan who suffered over 70 percent burns died around 12 am on Monday and Ambili in the evening.

The relatives had then demanded to cremate Rajan’s body at the same house where they were facing eviction.

Rajan’s revelation that he didn’t deliberately set fire and it spread when the policeman tried to snatch the lighter away from them, had made big headlines the other day.

The sons of Rajan and Ambili had come down heavily against police on social media.  

Rajan’s son Ranjith, a Plus Two student, had said that the police came when the family was having food and asked them to leave immediately though they asked for 30 minutes’ time.