Four arrested for abetting women to self-immolate

The police, however, omitted the name of one woman SI attached to the Secretariat Colony police station, who was allegedly among the group that had threatened the women to vacate from the house they were staying. 

According to the police, Sashikala (52) and her aunt Navaneetham (60), who were staying at Jagathpuram in Elephant gate poured kerosene on them and torched themselves on Tuesday night when a group led by Sudharshanan, brother of Sashikala threatened them to vacate from the house they were staying. The neighbours rushed the women to Kilpauk Medical College with burn injuries. These women are now battling for life with more than 40 percent burns in the hospital. 

A 58-year-old woman died and three of the same family suffered injuries in a gas cylinder blast at Periya Playathamman Koil Street, Moolakothalam, Washermanpet. According to the police Kulanthaivelu (65), his wife Inbadevi (58), son Divakaran (30) and granddaughter Dakshinapriya (6), had returned home after visiting a temple around 9 pm on Tuesday. Inbadevi switched on the lights without realising that the LPG had been leaking and the room was filled with the gas. 

When she turned the switch on, the gas cylinder exploded, injuring the woman. Kulanthaivelu and Divakaran also suffered burns, but the child escaped with minor injuries. The injured were rushed to the hospital where Inbadevi died without responding to treatment on Wednesday.