Father and son die in fire

In a tragedy that took place at Kantharmadam in Jaffna on Friday, a father and his son who were being treated for burn injuries at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, succumbed to their injuries on Sunday, according to hospital sources.

The deceased Rajendra Kurukkal Balasubramaniam Kurukkal aged 65 and Balasubramaniam Kurukkal Santhasoruba Kurukkal, aged

It has come to light that the son was about to go to Gampola to conduct a pooja and the father who was not in favour of him going there.

25, both father and son were from Kantharmadam.

It has come to light that the son was about to go to Gampola to conduct a pooja and the father who was not in favour of him going there had poured kerosene oil on himself to commit suicide. As a result the son had given up the idea of going to Gampola, The father who was satisfied with the son’s decision had removed the kerosene soaked clothes and went to have a bath. The son had then taken the kerosene soaked clothes to the kitchen and had set fire to it, during which flames had engulfed the son which spread all over his body. The father who saw this rushed to douse the fire, soon found himself in flames as his body was already soaked with kerosene oil and both the father and the son were burnt in the fire.

The neighbours admitted them to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital but both succumbed to their injuries on Sunday.

Following an inquiry by the Coroner the bodies were handed over to the relatives.