THRISSUR: In a shocking incident, an elderly man attempted suicide after setting his son and family on fire at Chirakkakode near Mannuthy on Wednesday night. Joji, 40, his wife Liji, 34, and their son Tendulkar, 12, who suffered over 75 per cent burn injuries, were admitted to a private hospital in Kochi.
Johnson, who committed the heinous act, was admitted to a hospital as he suffered burn injuries. According to the police, he also consumed poison in an attempt to commit suicide. The incident took place at midnight on Wednesday following a domestic dispute over the partition of the family property.
Residents of the locality woke up at midnight hearing the screams of the family and alerted the police. They saw the fire raging in the house. Later the residents volunteered to douse the fire. Though Johnson's wife was sleeping in another room, he didn't harm her. It was Johnson’s wife who opened the door and helped the local people to rescue the injured persons.
The issue started in the family after Johnson refused to provide land for Joji, who had given Rs 10 lakh to his elder brother to build a house. Johnson, who worked as a mason, didn't want to give the land to his younger son. There were frequent skirmishes in the family over the land dispute.