Ancestral property row: Elderly woman sets her brother afire

CHENNAI: Police on Sunday arrested a 60-year-old woman, who allegedly set her brother afire as he was a hindrance to her acquiring her ancestral property at Perambur during the early hours of Sunday.

The victim, Munirathnam (63) is undergoing treatment at Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital (KMCH) and is in a critical condition.

Munirathnam has two sisters, Dhanalakshmi and Bhagyalakshmi. While Bhagyalakshmi died a couple of years ago, the ancestral property was left for Munirathnam and his sister to share. Munirathnam's wife is staying in Andhra Pradesh, at a relative's house, undergoing treatment for a health ailment.

While Munirathnam, was staying on the first floor of the ancestral property on Sabapathy street, his sister Dhanalakshmi, was staying on the ground floor and Bhagyalakshmi's husband Damodaran and son Udayakumar were living on the second floor of the house.

The man filed a case against Dhanalakshmi after he learnt that she has taken possession of the property and the case is in court. Police said that the woman set her sleeping brother afire, as she believed that the case will be ruled in his favour. Damodaran who heard Munirathnam's cries rescued him and moved him to a hospital. Dhanalakshmi has been arrested on charges of attempt to murder.