A 23-year-old Sri Lankan woman set herself on fire in Oslo in desperation over the treatment her husband received at the hands of Norwegian immigration authorities. She is hospitalized in critical condition since the 19th June.
She had suffered severe injuries, made worse by the melting of her nylon clothing. “She set herself on fire in despair since her husband will not be allowed to live with her in Norway,” said Ellen Svae of the Oslo police.
The woman’s husband suffered burns on his hands and arms after trying to save his wife when she was enveloped in flames. He was also in Ullevaal Hospital receiving treatment. Upon his release he was arrested by police for being in the country illegally. Police said that the man would remain in custody until he had been questioned about the fire and until his wife was capable of giving her own version. According to Aftenposten’s evening edition’s sources, the couple met some time ago, when the man was in the country illegally, but the woman had residency permission. The couple was told they would have to travel to Sri Lanka to marry in order to qualify for legal permission to live in Norway. When the woman became pregnant the man applied for residency on the grounds of uniting the family but was rejected because he had stayed in Norway illegally. After the investigation of the fire is complete the man will be sent out of the country unless he is charged with a crime.
Source:Aftenposten
