Kolkata: 82-Yr-Old Woman Dies After Suffering Burns While Lighting Candles For Kali Puja

The victim, Jyotsna De, was admitted at CMRI Hospital, where she suffered a massive cardiac arrest almost two-and-a-half hours after the incident.

An 82-year-old woman living alone died after suffering burns while lighting candles for Kali Puja.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

Kolkata: An 82-year-old woman lost her life after suffering 30 percent burn injuries on Wednesday evening in Kolkata. The incident took place while she was trying to light her Kali Puja candles at her residence. The woman resided alone at the Sarsuna Township in the Sakuntala Park area after both her daughters settled overseas.

The victim, Jyotsna De, was admitted at CMRI Hospital, where she suffered a massive cardiac arrest almost two-and-a-half hours after the incident, doctors said. Cops at Sarsuna Police Station have registered a case of unnatural death. A postmortem to ascertain the exact cause of death is being carried out, Times Of India reported.

According to the the victim's neighbours, two caregivers stayed for 12 hours each with her during the day and night to look after her. "Around 7 pm, she asked her morning caregiver to light 14 candles and diyas as part of the Choddo Pradip culture prevalent across households a day before Kali Puja. She then asked the caregiver to leave after locking the main gate as it was puja time, and she could manage to stay alone till the next caregiver arrived an hour later. However, around 7.40 pm, she noticed that one of the candles was not burning anymore. She decided to light it up all alone. In doing so, her saree caught fire from one of the candles that were placed behind her wearing apparel," recalled a neighbour.

Cops said that by the time De was severely burnt by the time she realised her saree was on fire. She managed to drag herself to the bathroom and pour water on herself. She then managed to call her caregivers and brother over the phone, who rushed to her residence.

However, it took the neighbours an hour before they could rush in and arrange an ambulance to send her to the hospital.

Behala DCP Rahul De said: "De, residing at H2/154 Sakuntala Park, Sarsuna Satellite Township, received burn injuries while she was lighting the candles. She was removed by local people and taken to Narayana Hospital in Behala. On being informed that they have no burn ward, she was removed to CMRI Hospital where she got admitted. During her treatment, she expired on Wednesday night."

He said that the Sarsuna PS had received a DC MC email from Alipore PS detailing the incident at around 2.30 am in the early hours of Thursday. The police official added that there was no foul play and that nobody had filed any complaint, the report noted.

"No foul play could be detected, and no complainant has been received from any corner as yet. However, a U.D. case at Sarsuna PS (No. 45/2024) has been started," DC De added.