Teen set ablaze by kin over family row in TN

A 15-year old girl died on Monday after being set ablaze near here allegedly by two men over long-standing enmity with her family and the accused have been arrested, police said. As the girl succumbed to burns a day after the incident and the two men, her relatives, were identified as members of ruling AIADMK, opposition parties, led by DMK, demanded strong action.

The AIADMK, meanwhile, announced expulsion of the two from basic membership for bringing ‘disrepute’ and “working against” the ideals of the party. Strongly condemning the killing and expressing grief, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said it was ‘ghastly’ and promised toughlegal action against the two men.

A case of murder has been registered, he said. “I have ordered a solatium of Rs five lakh to the family of the girl,” he said. The girl, a class X student, was set ablaze in her village, Sirumadurai,

about 28 km from here, allegedly by Murugan (57) and Kaliaperumal (53) on Sunday. “She was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital here where doctors said she sustained 80% burns. She died today without responding to treatment,” a senior police officer said. The girl in her dying declaration to a magistrate named the duo and made it clear they had set her ablaze, the official said. “Based on her statement to the magistrate, we have arrested the two men.” The incident triggered an outrage, including on social media, with netizens demanding examplary punishment.

To a question, the official said the accused and the girl’s family had enmity from several years. According to preliminary probe, “deceased and accused men are relatives and belong to the same village. DMK and its allies including the Left parties and AIADMK’S ally PMK sought tough action.