Two AIADMK men set girl ablaze, CM Palaniswami promises tough action

A 15-year old girl was allegedly set ablaze by two men at a village near here over enmity with her family and she succumbed to burns at a hospital here on Monday and the duo were arrested, police said.

The two men belonged to the ruling AIADMK, the leader of opposition and DMK president M K Stalin said and demanded that the police department secure maximum punishment for the alleged offenders.

The AIADMK, meanwhile, announced their expulsion from party posts and basic membership as they "brought disrepute and worked against the ideals of the party."

Condemning her killing and expressing grief, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said it was ghastly and promised tough legal action against the two men.

A case of murder has been registered against them and a probe was on, he said.

"I have ordered a solatium of Rs five lakh to the family of the girl," he said.

The girl, a class X student, was set ablaze in her village, Sirumadurai, about 28 km from here, allegeldy by 57-year old Murugan and Kaliaperumal (53) on Sunday, a senior police official told PTI.

"She was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital (Villupuram) where doctors said she sustained 80 per cent burns.

She died today ...," he said, adding the girl gave a dying declaration to a magistrate in the hospital.

In her declaration, she named the duo and made it clear that they had set her ablaze, the official added.

"Based on her statement to the magistrate we have arrested the two men." The incident has shocked and outraged the people who demanded examplary punishment for the two men in the social media.

To a question, the police official said that both the men and the family of the girl had enmity that spanned several years.

The official said preliminary investigation has revealed that "the deceased and the accused men are relatives and belong to the same village.

The families of the accused and the dead girl had enmity over a couple of issues like those related to land." As people were incensed due to her death, police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in the village which is near the temple town of Thiruvennainallur.

The girl's body was later handed over to her family for burial, the official said.

Political parties including the main opposition, DMK,its allies like the Left parties and AIADMK's ally PMK have sought tough action against the culprits.

Stalin, condoling th death, said his party will extend its support to get justice for the girl.

Only exemplary punishment will protect children and women, he said, adding the plight of the girl who suffered due to serious burns will outrage everyone with a heart.

Similarly, leaders of other parties condoled the death and asked the government to take appropriate steps for examplary punishment for those arrested in the incident.