Indhuja's mother, Renuka, and her sister, Nivedha, were both admitted to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital with burn injuries. Nirmala Ponnambalam, head of the burns department at the hospital, said that Renuka had 49% burns and was in a critical condition. She suffered burns on her face, upper and lower limbs. Nivedha had 23% burns, also partially on her face and limbs. Both women are undergoing treatment.
A relative said, “Our child has gone. I have only grief to share with you.”
After much persuasion, another relative R. Rajasenthil said: “Her father, who lives abroad, has been informed about the incident. He is on his way.”
Residents of the area were in a state of shock and many women gathered near the house. S. Chinnaponnu said, “The offender should get the harshest punishment.”
R. Ragu and D. Ilayaraja, neighbours of the victim.
K. Amaravathi, another neighbour, said, “On hearing her scream, we ran out of the house and saw the man riding off on his bike quite casually. And then, inside, there were people burning.”
K. Vanaja of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, after visiting the house of the victim, told The Hindu , “The youth is so audacious to have planned the whole thing; he came with a can of fuel to the girl’s house at night and set fire to her. This kind of incident should never happen to anyone again.”
(With inputs from Zubeda Hamid)
