A serious incident in Gujarat's Anand district has left a 54-year-old farmer with severe burn injuries, sparking a major police investigation amid starkly conflicting narratives. The victim, Bharat Padhiyar, alleges he was doused with petrol and set ablaze by the local village sarpanch and her family. However, preliminary police findings, based on video evidence, suggest a case of attempted self-immolation.
The Conflicting Narratives: Assault vs. Self-Harm
The alleged event occurred on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in Ambav village under the Anklav taluka. According to Bharat Padhiyar's statement from his hospital bed at SSG Hospital in Vadodara, he was accosted by Sarpanch Kokila Padhiyar, her husband Dinesh, her sons Rajesh and Nilesh, and a nephew while he was out for personal work.
He claims the group assaulted him with sticks, took him to a village crossroads, and then set him on fire. "While Kokila held me, her son Nilesh poured petrol on me and Rajesh lit a match to set me on fire. Dinesh kicked me, and they fled from the scene while the fire engulfed me," Bharat stated to the media.
Police Investigation and CCTV Evidence
Acting on his complaint, the Anand police initially registered an FIR for attempted murder against the five accused. However, the probe took a dramatic turn after officials reviewed available footage.
H Vaghela, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) for Petlad division, who also holds charge of Borsad, stated that primary analysis of CCTV and mobile phone videos, along with eyewitness accounts, indicates Bharat attempted self-immolation. "There is clear CCTV footage showing the accused pouring fuel on himself and attempting self-immolation while the accused are seated inside their vehicle at the spot," Vaghela explained.
The police confirmed they filed the FIR based on Bharat's statement but will now proceed based on the emerging evidence. They have also pledged to investigate the background of animosity between the parties.
Root Cause: A Complaint of Corruption
At the heart of the conflict is a corruption complaint filed by Bharat Padhiyar against the sarpanch and her husband. From his hospital bed, Bharat alleged, "There is corruption in our village projects. I filed a complaint with the district development officer, taluka development officer, development commissioner and the chief minister about 10 days ago."
He claimed that after no action was taken and he spoke about it publicly, he received threats. "Dinesh Padhiyar threatened me immediately. More people came to me and threatened to kill me," he alleged. The police acknowledged this ongoing feud as a critical part of their investigation to determine if any action by the accused provoked an extreme step.
The case remains under active investigation as authorities work to reconcile the victim's serious allegations with the visual evidence that tells a different story, leaving a community in Anand grappling with the shocking event.
