Five immolate in RMC premises to protest demolition drive

Five persons, including three women, today set themselves ablaze in Rajkot Municipal Corporation office to protest the civic body's alleged demolition drive, police said.
The five, identified as Rekha, Asha, Vasumati, Bharat and Girish from Chhotu Nagar area near Raiya Dhar of the city, today poured kerosene and set themselves on fire in RMC's central zone office, police said.
They were rushed to Rajkot civil hospital where condition of two of them was stated to be critical.
When contacted, Mayor Janak Kotak said that RMC has nothing to do with the incident as the civic body had no plan to carry out demolition in the area.

The five might have had a dispute with a member of their society because of which they took the extreme step, Kotak said.
The RMC has decided to initiate a probe in the incident and appropriate action would be taken against those found guilty, he added.
He extended all possible support to the victims and said they would be shifted to private hospital soon.