A 10-year-old girl, who was allegedly set on fire by her stepfather on Wednesday night, succumbed to the burns on Friday night in the hospital.
Police said G. Suja, 33, a mother of three children from Periyavilai in Kanniyakumari district, married one Jesu Antony Raj of the same area eight years ago after her husband Gurunathan died. After settling down at Kaavalkinaru in Tirunelveli district, Antony Raj and Suja were working in a hotel there.
When her 10-year-old daughter came to the hotel on Wednesday, she took a biscuit packet and returned home without paying money for the snack. Agitated over this, the hotel owner shouted at Antony Raj. He went home and sprinkled kerosene on the three children and allegedly set them on fire in the night.
As the children screamed in pain, the neighbours rushed and doused the flames. While the 10-year-old girl was badly injured, others escaped with minor blisters. The 10-year-old girl was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Aasaaripallam, where Antony Raj was admitted with minor injuries and breathing difficulties.
Even as the girl was undergoing treatment, she succumbed to her burns on Friday night.
Panagudi police have registered a case based on a complaint from Ms. Suja.
