Rajkot, April 21 – Tension gripped the Shiv Park area on Kotahariya Road in Rajkot on Sunday when a 55-year-old man set himself on fire during a court-ordered property seizure operation initiated by a bank. The man, identified as Jayantilal Chunnilal Parmar, reportedly opposed the seizure of his house and, in a drastic act of protest, poured kerosene on himself and self-immolated in front of officials executing the order. He was rushed to the civil hospital in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
As per media report, the incident was formally reported at the Aji Dam Police Station by Prakashbhai Solanki, a resident of Surendranagar and currently employed as an assistant at the Rajkot Sessions Court. According to Solanki’s complaint, a court order had been issued in favor of P&B Housing Finance Limited for possession of the mortgaged property. The notice regarding the impending seizure was served to the homeowner Mohit Parmar and his father Jayantilal on April 6.
The initial attempt to execute the seizure failed due to the absence of police protection. A second notice was issued on April 8, and the operation was rescheduled for April 20. When the bank officials, accompanied by a lawyer and police personnel, arrived at the property on the designated day, Jayantilal protested the action, ascended to the upper floor of the house, doused himself in kerosene, and set himself ablaze.
Following the incident, Mohit Parmar immediately contacted emergency services, and an ambulance was dispatched to the location. Despite medical efforts, Jayantilal could not be saved.
Initially, police registered a case under sections related to obstruction of legal duty and attempted suicide against both Jayantilal and his son Mohit. However, after Jayantilal’s death in the hospital, the case was reclassified as a suicide. Authorities have now launched a detailed investigation to understand the circumstances leading to the extreme act and to examine the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties.
The tragic incident has raised concerns over the emotional toll of financial distress and legal enforcement procedures. Further inquiries are underway.
