Chennai: A 28-year-old woman was burnt to death and two of her children had a narrow escape after a car in which she was travelling along with her husband went up in flames under suspicious circumstances on 7 August. N Prema, the deceased woman who is a resident of Alaiamman Kovil Street, was living with her husband Nagaraj and two children. Nagaraj was working as a call-taxi driver. Even as the family was travelling on Sunday the couple were quarrelling. As they reached Lotus Nagar in Teynampet around 12 noon, the man allegedly got off the car and under mysterious circumstances, the vehicle went up in flames. However, a senior police officer, quoting Prema, said “Nagaraj stepped out of the car as his wife was burning alive. The woman managed to throw her two children – Thisanth Raj (4) and Yashwanth Raj (2) – through the open window. The children are out of danger and they are admitted in the KMC Hospital for treatment.” Subsequently, Prema’s mother Amaravathi filed a complaint. The Saidapet police have registered a case of murder against Nagaraj. Prema had doused herself with petrol as the couple were involved in a heated argument in the car, police sources suspect. But the man is thought to have lit the car before stepping out of the vehicle. The public, on noticing the car in flames, alerted the police who rescued Prema. She was admitted in the Kilpauk Medical College hospital where she died later in the evening. Police said Prema had named her husband as responsible for setting her on fire. Prema had married Nagaraj five years ago, police added. Further investigations were on. ]]>
