Man burns himself after being refused ‘drug money’
Hameed has over 60 per cent burns; Doctor says survival chances are low.
GUJRANWALA:
A man set himself on fire on Monday after his wife refused to give him money to buy drugs.
According to police officials, Girjakh resident Abdul Hameed, 40, has been addicted to heroin for over 10 years. “He’s been asking me for money for month and I always give him some but he spent it all on drugs.
My children were nearly starving. I had to make my 10-year-old son work at a tea stall so that we could make ends meet,” said Hameed’s wife Razia Bibi. “He then started taking my son’s wages to feed his drug habit,” she added.
Razia told police that when she refused Hameed’s request for money, he beat her and the children but she insisted that she could not help him anymore. “He hasn’t worked in nearly 12 years. He only goes and spends time and money on drugs,” she added.
On Monday morning, when Hameed was leaving the house, he asked Razia for money who refused. “I told him I didn’t have any. When he kept on asking for it I told him I would never give him anything for drugs. Then he became hysterical,” she told police officials.
Police officials said that Hameed then sprinkled kerosene oil all over him and set himself on fire. “We were told he did it in front of half the village and his family. He was immediately taken to the hospital by neighbours,” said Inspector Wajahat Sultan.
Hameed was rushed to Civil Hospital, where doctors say he is in a critical condition. “He has third degree burns over 60 per cent of his body. We are trying our best but it is unlikely he will survive such severe injuries,” said Dr Saleem.
A doctor at the hospital said that Hameed had previously tried to seek help for his drug habit but he kept relapsing. “His wife brought him to me several years ago. I treated him for several months but every time he went home from the facility, he relapsed a few weeks later. She brought him to the drug rehabilitation facility almost every year but he was not serious,” said Dr Mujahid Belal. “It is especially hard to break a heroin habit and Hameed never fully completed his treatment,” he added.
Police officials have registered a case and are investigating the case. Razia Bibi has appealed to the Punjab government for assistance in treating her husband.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2012.
A man set himself on fire on Monday after his wife refused to give him money to buy drugs.
According to police officials, Girjakh resident Abdul Hameed, 40, has been addicted to heroin for over 10 years. “He’s been asking me for money for month and I always give him some but he spent it all on drugs.
My children were nearly starving. I had to make my 10-year-old son work at a tea stall so that we could make ends meet,” said Hameed’s wife Razia Bibi. “He then started taking my son’s wages to feed his drug habit,” she added.
Razia told police that when she refused Hameed’s request for money, he beat her and the children but she insisted that she could not help him anymore. “He hasn’t worked in nearly 12 years. He only goes and spends time and money on drugs,” she added.
On Monday morning, when Hameed was leaving the house, he asked Razia for money who refused. “I told him I didn’t have any. When he kept on asking for it I told him I would never give him anything for drugs. Then he became hysterical,” she told police officials.
Police officials said that Hameed then sprinkled kerosene oil all over him and set himself on fire. “We were told he did it in front of half the village and his family. He was immediately taken to the hospital by neighbours,” said Inspector Wajahat Sultan.
Hameed was rushed to Civil Hospital, where doctors say he is in a critical condition. “He has third degree burns over 60 per cent of his body. We are trying our best but it is unlikely he will survive such severe injuries,” said Dr Saleem.
A doctor at the hospital said that Hameed had previously tried to seek help for his drug habit but he kept relapsing. “His wife brought him to me several years ago. I treated him for several months but every time he went home from the facility, he relapsed a few weeks later. She brought him to the drug rehabilitation facility almost every year but he was not serious,” said Dr Mujahid Belal. “It is especially hard to break a heroin habit and Hameed never fully completed his treatment,” he added.
Police officials have registered a case and are investigating the case. Razia Bibi has appealed to the Punjab government for assistance in treating her husband.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2012.