File picture of the 83-year-old Jain woman,Vhicki Devi Sethia, who died on Thursday after fasting for 56 days

Cuttack, Oct. 31: An 83-year-old ailing woman, who was performing the Jain ritual of Santhara (fasting unto death), died on Thursday night here.

Vhicki Devi Sethia, who was suffering from an incurable ailment of gullet, died after a 56-day fast, which is a way of purifying one’s soul and a sacrifice aimed at attaining salvation according to Jain faith.

Her fast had sparked a controversy last week with a social organisation filing public interest litigation (PIL) equating it with suicide.

Cuttack-based Freedom for Justice’s secretary Shashi Kant Sharma filed the petition in the Orissa High Court on October 20 to have the ritual declared illegal.

The petition raised concern over allowing an elderly person to suffer without medical assistance and food, as it is “inhuman”.

The PIL also alleged that Santhara or a religious fast to death adopted by a Jain or any person violates Article 21 of the constitution, which guarantees right to life, but not death. The petition had so far not been listed for hearing.

Members of the Terapanthi Swetambar Jain community believe that Santhara is a ritual, which is different from suicide. They insist that those who oppose Santhara fail to understand that the ritual is purely a religious practice of giving up food.

“It is a chosen act of rational thinking and marks the beginning of a journey of understanding the inherently painful and flawed nature of earthly existence,” said Mangal Chand Chopra, 80-year-old Jain community leader.

“Vhicki Devi’s death is a successful case of Santhara. Her last rites were performed at Khannagar today,” Chopra said.

Vhicki Devi reportedly announced that she was embarking on Santhara on September 4 after doctors said they could do little to cure her ailing gullet. Swallowing food was extremely painful for her. Her family reportedly tried to dissuade her, but to no avail.

“Since then she only took lukewarm water,” said Bimal Sethia, nephew of Vhicki Devi. The controversy had taken a new turn earlier this week with the police registering an attempt to suicide case in connection with it and starting an investigation.

The police had registered the case and started investigation on the basis of an FIR lodged at the Manglabag police station against her “for trying to commit suicide”. Freedom for Justice’s secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and three others lodged the FIR.