CHENNAI: Blinded by fury after suspecting that his wife was having an affair, a 44-year-old man doused her in kerosene while she was asleep and set her on fire, near Padappai in Kancheepuram.

However, he sustained even more grievous burn injuries after he hugged her while she was engulfed in flames. Now, both are battling for their lives at the burns ward of Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

According to the police, the man, Senthilkumar, is a tailor, and his wife Kalaiyarasi is working at an Anganwadi centre. They have two daughters, aged 20 and 15. They live in an apartment in Athanur panchayat, near Padappai.

Earlier, an argument broke out between the couple after Senthilkumar alleged that he had seen Kalaiyarasi with another man on December 24.

On Saturday morning, the daughters heard screams and saw smoke emanating from their parent's room and sought help from the neighbours. The neighbours broke down the door, rescued the severely burned couple, and alerted the police and fire department. The couple were rushed to Chromepet Government Hospital, later transferred to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Chennai.

The police said Senthilkumar sustained 90 per cent burns, while Kalaiyarasi suffered 85 per cent burns. The Manimangalam police have registered a case on the incident.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Senthilkumar attempted to kill his wife by setting her on fire but accidentally burned himself when he hugged her.