Daily wager burns friend’s child to death in Coimbatore

A three-year-old girl was burnt alive by a daily wager by opening gas cylinder in her house in Coimbatore on Friday.

While the girl, Teja Sri succumbed to burns; the accused Dhanasekar, 30, suffered more than 60 per cent burns and is battling for life at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).  

Police said Dhanasekar had visited the house of his friend Rajesh, 34, another daily wager, who was alone with his three-year-old daughter. His wife Ramya, 32, was away at work and their nine-year-old elder daughter had gone to school.

Police said Rajesh had left to a shop to buy some snacks by leaving his daughter in the care of Dhanasekar.

On his return in a short while, Rajesh found the doors of the house locked from inside and found smoke emanating from the house.

He immediately took the help of neighbours to break open the doors and found the child burnt to death.

On receiving information, Sulur police rushed to the spot and sent the body of the girl for a post mortem at CMCH.

A severely injured Dhanasekar had been admitted to hospital.

Inquiries revealed that the accused had placed clothes over the child and set fire, besides opening the valve of the gas cylinder.

Police ruled out sexual assault and claimed the motive to be financial dispute. Further investigations are on.