After ‘self-immolation’ bid by farmer, search on for sarpanch and 4 relatives booked for attempt to murder
Farmer recovering in hospital, statement yet to be recorded: Police
Written by Aditi Raja
Vadodara | Updated: January 7, 2026 02:17 AM IST
3 min read
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The police said that while video footage of the incident and immediate witness accounts indicated that Padhiyar attempted self-immolation, his statement was yet to be recorded as he had suffered 35 per cent burns and was under treatment at the SSG hospital in Vadodara. (Image generated using AI)
The Anand district police on Tuesday said that the trigger behind the alleged self-immolation bid by a 54-year-old man, Bharat Padhiyar, in Ambav village of Anklav was under investigation even as sarpanch Kokila Padhiyar and four of her family members – booked in an FIR on attempt to murder charges – are “on the run.”
The police said that while video footage of the incident and immediate witness accounts indicated that Padhiyar attempted self-immolation, his statement was yet to be recorded as he had suffered 35 per cent burns and was under treatment at the SSG hospital in Vadodara.
S P Kahar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Borsad Division, told The Indian Express, “The victim and the accused were involved in a brawl just before the incident of immolation and the CCTV videos so far show that the victim self-immolated. However, as there is an FIR filed based on the initial complaint of the victim against the sarpanch and four others, we are probing the extent of their role in the incident… The accused are on the run.”
On Sunday, Padhiyar allegedly attempted self-immolation following a dispute over complaints of alleged corruption made by Padhiyar against sarpanch Kokila Padhiyar. An FIR for attempted murder was registered against five persons, including the sarpanch, her husband Dinesh and sons Nilesh and Rajesh as well as her nephew Ashok, based on Padhiyar’s complaint that the family threatened him several times for complaining against “corruption”.
Anand District Development Officer (DDO) Devahuti, however, said no complaint had been received from Padhiyar. Instead, the complaint being referred to by Padhiyar was filed by another co-villager named Ramesh Padhiyar in October last year. Devahuti told this newspaper, “There are multiple complaints against the sarpanch of Ambav village that are under investigation but none of the complaints have been made by Bharat Padhiyar, the farmer involved in the incident… In fact, the complainant in the case of the corruption allegations is another villager, Ramesh Padhiyar, who filed the applications in October. A committee was formed in November to probe the complaints. We are not aware if Ramesh Padhiyar is related to the present victim in the police FIR.”
Devahuti added that the complaints made against the sarpanch pertain to several local matters and are “under inquiry.”
DySP Kahar said, “We will record the statement of the victim once he is in a position to speak as to where he sourced the fuel from and why did he take this step. He is recovering. As per the doctors, he is out of danger. We will piece together the events of the incident after recording his statement.”
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
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