Grandfather sets himself on fire

A GRANDFATHER of five is dead after apparently setting himself on fire at his Princes Town home yesterday morning. Dead is Jaggernauth Ramlal, 53, of Iere Village.

Neighbours said they heard Ramalal and his wife arguing on Tuesday night, when he threatened to kill himself. They said the argument lasted for hours and by morning the wife left for work, as she normally does, at about 7.30 am.

At around 11 am, when he was alone in the house, neighbours heard a scream and saw Ramlal on fire in a room at the back. They said they tried to go inside but the fire spread rapidly throughout the house and Ramlal was burnt to death. Ramlal was the father of four. One of his daughters, who wished not to be named, said the family was at a loss for words. “My dad threatened to kill himself in the past many times whenever he and my mother argued, but I never thought he would have done it. We are still in shock. To get a phone call saying your father is dead and he set himself on fire...it really hurts.”

The distraught daughter said she knew her father and mother were arguing last night, but could not say for certain what was the reason or if the argument led to his setting himself on fire.