VICTIM’S 3 KIDS STAYING WITH AUNT
Rathna’s family agrees for her sons to be placed under her elder sister’s care
THE three sons of R. Rathna, 44, who succumbed to severe burn injuries two weeks after being torched by her estranged husband, have been placed under the care of her elder sister.
A relative said both sides of the family had agreed for the boys to be placed under the care of Rathna’s sister at the house in Taman Aked here.
The relative from the suspect’s side said the family was still in shock after the incident that claimed Rathna’s life.
“We knew their marriage had some rough patches and the husband had been living separately for almost a decade.
“The husband really loved Rathna and had never given up hope that she would return to him.
“We really do not know what drove him to resort to such action.”
He said the family was shocked to learn that Rathna was attacked with Molotov cocktails.
“We are leaving everything to the police to investigate.
“What’s more important is the fate of her children.”
Meanwhile, the Sungai Petani magistrate’s court yesterday granted police a week-long remand order against the suspect for investigations.
It was reported that the victim was attacked with Molotov cocktails at the back of her terrace house, while she preparing to cook outside her kitchen.
Her 19-year-old son, who rushed out from the house, saw Rathna on fire and her husband fleeing from the scene.
She suffered severe burns and succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday without regaining consciousness at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
Police have since reclassified the case as murder.