Sleeping woman, lover set on fire by husband

Chennai

The deceased, Lakshmi, and the accused, Senthil Velmurugan (38), were married and the couple has a 13-year-old daughter. Senthil Velmurugan, a barber by profession and resident of Anbanandam third street, allegedly often fought with Lakshmi suspecting her to have an illicit affair with K Govindasamy (62), who works as a security guard and stayed at a rented premises on Thyagi Suppan Street in the same locality.

Three weeks ago, Lakshmi reportedly fought with his husband and went to stay with Govindasamy, leaving their daughter with Senthil. Infuriated over this, Senthil went to Govindasamy’s house with a can of petrol around 5.30 am.

Since the door was open, he poured the petrol on Lakshmi who was asleep and threw a match before locking the room. While Senthil escaped from the spot, hearing Lakshmi’s cries, neighbours broke open the door and rescued the duo. They were rushed to KK Nagar government hospital and then shifted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. However, Lakshmi, with over 90 per cent burns, died without responding to treatment and Govindasamy is battling for life with 55 per cent burns.

Meanwhile, a woman died without responding to treatment a week after she was set ablaze in the open by her husband in Avadi. The accused, Suresh, who had already been arrested under attempted murder charges, has been remanded for murder again. The deceased, Vishnupriya, was a mother of two. Suspecting her fidility, Suresh doused her in petrol and set fire at Melpakkam in Avadi. Passers-by rescued her and admitted her at Kilpauk Medical College Hosptial, where she died on Wednesday.