A woman leader of ruling BJD in Odisha, who had sustained serious burns after performing self-immolation outside Berhampur SP's office in Ganjam district last week protesting the arrest of her son, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital here on Thursday, police said.
Forty one-year-old Meenakhi Mishra, an executive body member of BJD's women wing, had set herself on fire on February 12 alleging that police had arrested her son after implicating him in a "false case", an officer said.
She was demanding the release of her son who was arrested on January 28 in an assault case, he said.
Mishra was first admitted to a state-run hospital in Berhampur and then referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Mishra, who was later shifted to a hospital here after her condition deteriorated, died during treatment, he said.
She had unsuccessfully contested the previous Berhampur Municipal Corporation election from ward number 39.
A clash had occurred near her house in Baidyanathpur area of Berhampur on January 28 over parking of vehicles after which police had arrested five youths, including her son, the officer said.
The woman leader had gone to the office of SP (Berhampur) on February 12 to lodge her grievance and seek her son's release but could not meet the officer as he was away. Instead, she had met the additional SP and expressed her resentment.
However, after coming out of the office building and moving a little away from it, she had poured kerosene on her and set herself on fire, sustaining severe burns, the officer added.
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