Chennai woman sets minor daughter ablaze to prove fidelity to husband, both arrested

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, Feb 01, 2022: Chennai police arrested a 38-year-old woman in Thiruvottiyur who burnt her daughter on Sunday night. The mother allegedly set her 10-year-old girl on fire after her husband dared her to do so to prove her fidelity.

 

The child suffered 75% burns and died on Monday morning. Police arrested Jayalakshmi and her husband Padmanabhan. Later, a court found them guilty and sent them to jail.

Pavithra, a Class 5 student, was staying with her mother, Jayalakshmi and step-father Padmanabhan.

Police said that Jayalakshmi first married Palvannan when she was 19. The two gave birth to a girl who is a nursing student and stays with her grandmother in Tuticorin.

As per a report by The Times of India, Jayalakshmi reportedly left Palvannan and married his younger brother Durairaj. The two lived in Mumbai, where they gave birth to Pavithra.

She then left Durairaj and returned to Chennai. She settled in Thiruvottiyur, where she formed a friendship with Padmanabhan, a divorcee and tanker driver. They got married nine years ago and have two children aged six and four.

TOI reported that Padmanabhan often got drunk and fought with her, suspecting her fidelity. On Sunday night, a fresh tiff started and Padmanabhan challenged her to set her daughter ablaze, saying the fire would leave Pavithra unharmed if Jayalakshmi was innocent.

The mother went to the room where the child was sleeping with her step-sisters, dragged her out, doused her body with kerosene and set her on fire.

Hearing the girl’s screams, neighbours rushed to the house, put out the fire and took the child to the hospital, where she died of burns.