Mentally ill man jumps into funeral pyre, charred to death

NAGPUR: In a shocking incident, a 34-year-old man jumped to death into a funeral pyre of a 64-year-old woman at Jaitala on Saturday. Body of the deceased, identified as Mahesh Kontangle, a resident of Jaitala, was completely charred in the incident.
According to police, Mahesh, who had a private job, was mentally ill and used to live with his parents and siblings.On Saturday, a local resident Parvatabai died of natural causes and the last rites were performed at the Jaitala crematorium. In the evening, after relatives had left the place following the rituals, Mahesh came running towards the funeral pyre and jumped in it, said police.
The incident came to light when Mahesh started screaming. Some children who were playing cricket nearby spotted his body on fire and rushed to their colony and informed everyone. Soon, residents rushed to help Mahesh but by then his body was completely charred.
One of the residents also called Mahesh’s brother Mukund who too rushed to the spot. Meanwhile, MIDC police were informed. A team under the supervision of senior PI Bharat Kshirsagar conducted panchnama and sent the body to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where post-mortem was conducted on Sunday.
MIDC police have registered accidental death in the matter. Cops said the incident has disturbed residents in the area. The children who witnessed the incident are so scared that have not gone to play since then, said sources in police.