18-year-old sets herself ablaze for phone

Police identified the victim as Malathi (18), daughter of a mason residing at GKM Colony and studying in a private college.

According to the police, she celebrated her 18th birthday at her home on Thursday. She cut a cake with her relatives and friends cheering her up. Soon after her friends left, she asked her father to her a mobile phone.

Police said that her father Baskar was delaying the purchase of mobile phone for her and promised to buy it for her birthday. On Thursday, he tried convincing her that he did not have enough money this month and would get her the phone next month. However, she insisted on getting a mobile phone immediately. She told her father that all friends have mobile phones and added that she could even exchange study notes with her friendsusing the device.

Upset over this, Malathi locked herself inside a room and set herself ablaze. Hearing her cries, the family members broke open the door and rushed her to the Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, where she succumbed to burns.