CHENNAI: A 40-year-old woman and her 20-year-old son were charred to death after her husband allegedly doused them with thinner and set them both ablaze while they were asleep in their rented house in Maduravoyal in the wee hours of Sunday. The woman’s daughter escaped with minor injuries. The deceased, Koresha Begum (40) and her son Akram Ali (21) suffered 95 percent burns and did not respond to treatment at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Her daughter Maji Ali (13) sustained burns on her nose and has been undergoing treatment in the hospital.
The accused Makbul Ali (40) and his wife Koresha Begum had moved to Chennai from Kolkata four years ago along with their children. The couple started working in a footwear making unit in Velappanchavadi. “Since Makbul Ali was addicted to liquor, he lost his job recently. Upset over this, Begum had confronted him and refused to allow him inside the house at Noombal. However, Makbul Ali often came to the house in an inebriated state and argued with her,” said a police officer, quoting the neighbours.
On Saturday too, he returned home and quarrelled with Begum. However, she did not allow him inside the house. Infuriated with this, Makbul reached the house again around 2 am and poured thinner (a liquid usually mixed with paints) on his wife and the children through the gaps of window and set them on fire. Hearing their cries for help, neighbours rushed and fought out the fire, and took them to the Kilpauk Hospital.
Based on statements from the victims, Maduravoyal police registered a case and launched a hunt for the suspect Makbul Ali. A photo of him has been shared with all police stations. Since there is no public transport in the city due to the lockdown, police said that the accused would be nabbed soon.