Mumbai: Alcoholic sets self on fire after fight with wife

Firoz Fareed Shah at Sion hospital this morning. Pic/Satej Shinde

A petty argument over alcohol consumption with his wife took a tragic turn when a 70-year-old set himself on fire, sustaining more than 50 per cent burns on Monday. He is currently at Sion hospital undergoing treatment.

Firoz Fareed Shah, a resident of Antop Hill, is known in his area for being a chronic alcoholic. Under the influence of alcohol, he would often beat up his wife, forcing her to give him money. On Monday, when he came home completely drunk, he again started arguing with his wife. As the argument continued, an angry Firoz poured thinner on himself and set himself on fire on the road in front of their house.

Rizwan Fareed Shah, one of the two sons, who were waiting at Sion hospital, said, "We were working at our shop in Gandhinagar when we got a call about the incident. Every day, after getting drunk, he would argue with our mother. On Monday, too, they had an argument and we don't know where he got the thinner from." After he set himself on fire, his wife and daughter-in-law doused it with water but he had already sustained 50 per cent burns. The fire has also badly injured his airway.

"Thankfully, both of my children were at school when this happened or else it would have scared them," said Imran Fareed Shah, 35, the eldest son. "This addiction often throws them into depression and they become very violent, irrespective of their age. They need to start with the treatment at the earliest and if needed, they should get admitted to a rehabilitation centre," said Dr Sagar Mundada, a psychiatrist at Bhaba Hospital.

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