COIMBATORE: A four-year-old boy from Erode, who was set on fire by his tippler father over a family dispute, succumbed to burns despite treatment at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday.

Tirumalaiselvan (35) of Melur in Madurai and Suganya are married and have a seven-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son, Nikhil. Over time, Suganya decided to leave her husband for his behaviour and moved to her parent’s house in Muniappan Kovil Street in Erode. He pestered her persistently to return with him, but Suganya was firm in her decision.

Infuriated over his wife’s decision to leave him, Tirumalaiselvan poured petrol and attempted to set his wife, daughter, and son on fire.

While Suganya and the daughter managed to escape, Nikhil was caught in the fire. The four-year-old suffered over 70 per cent burns and was admitted to Erode GH and then shifted to CMCH, where he succumbed to injuries. Veerappanchatram police have pressed murder charges on the accused and arrested him.