Jhalawar, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : A tragic incident unfolded on Thursday evening at the Jwalamukhi Temple in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, where a 40-year-old man from Jhalawar reportedly set himself on fire. The deceased has been identified as Ramdas, son of Gajanan. Witnesses say he doused himself in petrol and ignited the flames outside the temple’s sanctum around 7 PM, suffering burns to approximately 70% of his body.
Temple staff and devotees quickly intervened, extinguishing the flames with water. Ramdas was initially taken to Jwalamukhi Hospital and later referred to Tanda Medical College, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Local police, led by Dehra’s SP Sandeep Dhaval, arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report and initiated an investigation. A forensic team also examined the site to gather evidence. Authorities are exploring all aspects of the incident, including the circumstances that led Ramdas to take such a drastic step.
According to 108 ambulance staff, Ramdas was conscious during transport and managed to provide his identity, indicating he had come alone to pray. However, he struggled to articulate clearly.
Family members revealed that Ramdas had left home about 15 months ago following a dispute. His uncle, Prahlad Chandela, stated that the family had searched for him extensively but to no avail. Attempts to contact him via his mobile phone had also been unsuccessful.
Ramdas’s father, Gajanan, passed away nearly a decade ago. Previously, Ramdas operated a scrap business and later ran a clothing shop on Jail Road in Jhalawar. He was married to Saloni, a sanitation worker with the Jhalawar Municipal Council, and the couple had a 12-year-old son, Rudra. Tragically, their daughter had already died.
The local police informed Ramdas’s family of the incident late Thursday night, prompting them to travel to Himachal Pradesh.
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