DU librarian commits suicide

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
New Delhi, 30 September
In what appears to be a suicide pact, a 35-year-old sacked Delhi University&’s female librarian set herself on fire near Delhi Secretariat on Monday evening. The victim is battling for her life at a city hospital with 90 percent burn injures.
 The victim, whose name was withheld, lives in Maujpur area of northeast Delhi.
 “This evening, at around 5.30 pm, she reached outside the Secretariat and started shouting that she was sexually and mentally harassed by the principal of Bhim Rao Ambedkar College.
She was sacked when she spurned the advances. She started creating ruckus and thereafter poured kerosene on herself which she was carrying in a bottle hidden in poly pack and lit a matchstick,” said the police.
 She set herself on fire when people working at the Secretariat were coming out. The office goers immediately made a call at fire control room and police in this regard.
 “A fire brigade team rushed to the spot and by the time she was doused off, she had received around 90 percent burn injuries,” said a fire official adding that she was rushed to the nearby Lok Nayak hospital where her condition is stated to be critical. The doctors said that she has sustained severe burn injuries and chances of survival are very bleak.
 According to police, three years ago, she made a complaint of sexual harassment against the college principal. A committee formed to probe into the matter gave a clean chit to the principal. After few months, a committee at Delhi University also gave clean chit to the principal. Thereafter, she was sacked from the college on disciplinary ground.
 For the last two years, she has been knocking the doors of  various government officials to get herself reinstated but all went in vain. This evening, she landed near Secretariat and set herself ablaze.
 Police said that they are verifying all the details related to the matter and further investigations are underway.

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