A harrowing incident in Baltana has laid bare the anguish of a woman desperately seeking justice. Standing outside the Baltana police post—where she had been attempting to register a complaint for several days—the woman finally reached her breaking point; she doused herself in petrol and set herself on fire. This incident has not only endangered her life but has also raised serious questions regarding the functioning of the system. The woman has sustained burns over approximately 70 percent of her body, and her condition remains critical. She was initially admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector-32, Chandigarh; however, as her condition deteriorated, she had to be referred to the PGIMER (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) in Chandigarh.
**Went to File Complaint, Received No Hearing**
According to her family members, the woman had been making repeated rounds of the police post for several days in an attempt to register an FIR regarding a rape case, but she was turned away every time. On Tuesday, she arrived at the post with her brother, clinging to a final shred of hope, but even then, her complaint went unheard. The family alleges that police personnel mistreated them and forcibly evicted them from the police post. The woman’s brother stated that the police had initially promised to summon the accused, but the accused failed to appear. Despite this, the police took no action. It was in this state of despair and helplessness that the woman set herself on fire outside the police post. A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene, but by then, she had already sustained severe burns.
**Police Initiate Investigation**
The police sprang into action following the incident. Mohali SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans stated that, based on the victim’s complaint, an FIR has been registered, and an officer of the SP rank has been assigned the responsibility of investigating the entire matter. CCTV footage from the police post is also being scrutinized to uncover the truth.
**DC Seeks Report**
Meanwhile, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal has also sought a report from the SSP regarding this incident. Additionally, the Health Department has been directed to provide every possible assistance in the woman’s medical treatment.
