Kottayam (Kerala), Feb 5 (PTI) An alleged family dispute took a tragic turn in a village near Pala in this district, resulting in the deaths of a man and his mother-in-law in a fire, police said on Wednesday.
The deceased have been identified as Nirmala (58) and her son-in-law Manoj (42).
According to the police, the incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Tuesday when Manoj visited his wife's house.
While Manoj allegedly set Nirmala on fire by pouring petrol over her, the police are still investigating how he himself was engulfed in flames.
Upon hearing their screams, locals rushed to the scene and alerted the Fire and Rescue Services as well as the police.
Firefighters and residents worked together to rescue the victims, who were initially taken to Pala General Hospital before being transferred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam.
Despite efforts to save them, both succumbed to their burns in the early hours of Wednesday, police said.
They said that an alleged long-standing family dispute led to the incident.
The police have launched an investigation into the matter. PTI COR TGB ADB