CUDDALORE: Family members of an assistant jailer of Cuddalore Central Prison escaped from a fire set by unidentified persons at their quarters near the jail premises in the wee hours of Sunday.
According to Cuddalore Old Town police, the assistant jailer R Manikandan was away in Kumbakonam when the incident happened; his father Ramalingam, mother Savitri, wife M Bavya and two children were present.
When Savitri smelled petrol from the kitchen and went there, she found some people pouring petrol on the gas stove and setting it on fire. Immediately she alerted others and the neighbours doused the fire, the police said.
Police sources said Manikandan had conducted a raid in the prison in the first week of August and found a mobile phone, charger and two batteries from a cell, where a history-sheeter from Chennai is jailed. Subsequently, an argument broke out between the duo, and the rowdy gave him death threats.