Women commit suicide for new clothes

KOLKATA: A motor mechanic's wife and mother committed suicide in a West Bengal town after he failed to buy them new clothes for the Durga Puja festival, the police said on Sunday.

The incident took place in South Dinajpur district's Balughat town.
 
Shampa Sarkar, 31, set herself on fire and her mother-in-law Maya Sarkar, 65, drank pesticide at their residence Saturday night. Both died on the same night at the hospital, Swapan Bandopadhyay Purnapatra, district police superintendent, told reporters Sunday morning.
 
"Giving her statement before her death, Shampa said they took the extreme step because her husband Ramprasad did not buy them new clothes during the puja and her neighbours made fun of their poverty," Purnapatra added.
 
Ramprasad, a motor-mechanic, was married to Shampa 11 years back. They have three daughters.