Upset over poor cooking skills, Mason sets 19-yr-old wife on fire in Thanjavur

She has been admitted to a hospital with over 50 per cent burns. The police have arrested the husband.

Sources said, Lakshmanan, a mason from Poomalravuthan Koil Street in East Gate area, Thanjavur, married Sumathy (19) from the same place two months back.

The couple had frequent arguments as Lakshmanan was not satisfied with the cooking skills of Sumathy.

During one such altercation on Wednesday night, Lakshmanan started abusing his wife and the quarrel continued till late in the night.

At one point, Lakshmanan grew furious and reportedly doused Sumathy with kerosene and set her ablaze. Soon after, the mason escaped from the spot.

On hearing the screams of Sumathy, neighbours rushed to the house, rescued and rushed her to Thanjavur Medical college hospital. Thanjavur Town East police registered a case under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) based on a complaint from Sumathy.

In her statement to the police, she said that her husband poured the kerosene and set her on fire. Later in the evening, the police arrested Lakshmanan. Further investigations are on.

RAMESWARAM: A 60-year old man from Kerala allegedly murdered his wife by slitting her throat and later attempted to commit suicide at a lodge in the temple town, police said on Thursday.

As the couple, who came from Thrissur in Kerala, did not come out for a long time, the lodge owner informed the police, who reached the spot and broke open the door to find the woman lying dead and the man in a serious condition with his throat slit. The man is undergoing treatment at a government hospital here, police said.