Another child succumbs to burns, father booked

After his drunk father set him on fire, five-year-old Chetan Sai succumbed to his injuries on Monday.

Chetan, along with his younger brother Preetham Sai (2), was set ablaze by their father Srinivasan Murthy (38) over a domestic row at their house in Thalaghattapura in the wee hours of Sunday. While Preetham succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, Murthy and Chetan were admitted to the burns ward in Victoria Hospital with third-degree burn injuries.

Tired of his alcoholism and harassment, Murthy's wife had left to her parent's home with her children. Murthy would visit his in-laws' house to convince his wife to return. When she did not heed he decided to set the kids on fire before setting himself ablaze to teach her a lesson.

On Saturday, Murthy convinced his in-laws to allow him to take the children for a snack. He took the children to his house and while they were sleeping, poured kerosene on them and set them on fire before immolating himself.

Neighbours rushed them to the hospital where Preetham was declared brought dead.

The police are now waiting for Murthy to recover to arrest him for the double murder.