SALEM: A 30-year-old truck driver has set his wife, daughter and son on fire in an inebriated state after his wife refused to have sex with him. Though the incident took place on Tuesday night, it came to light only on Friday when the woman in her dying declaration told the Attur rural police that they were set ablaze by her husband. Police have arrested the accused.The woman and her daughter died at the Salem Government Super Specialty Hospital on Saturday morning, while her son is battling for life in the same hospital.The deceased were identified as K Poomathi, 26, and her daughter Nila , 5, of Azhagapuram area near Attur. The condition of the boy, identified as Poovarasan, 6, is said to be critical.According to police, Poomathi’s husband Karthik was an alcoholic. “He used to come home drunk and quarrel with Poomathi daily. He also used to beat her up too,” an investigation officer said.On Tuesday night, the officer said, Karthik as usual came home drunk and picked up a quarrel with his wife. “A few minutes after beating her up, he wished to have physical relationship with her, but his wife refused. Irked, he doused his wife, daughter and son with kerosene and set them ablaze.”Hearing them cry, neighbours rushed to their house, doused the fire and took the trio to the Attur government hospital. Doctors provided then first aid and shifted them to the Salem Government Super Specialty Hospital. Poomathi and Nila suffered 80% burn injuries in the incident.Karthik told the Attur rural police that his wife had set his children and herself on fire following a family feud. When police inquired with Poomathi on Friday, she told them that her husband had set them ablaze when she refused to have sex with him. She told police that she was having body pain as Karthik had severely beaten her two days before the fateful day. “She had pleaded with him to leave her alone for two days. But an infuriated Karthik set them all on fire,” the investigation officer said.Based on Poomathi’s dying declaration, the Attur rural police registered an attempt to murder case and nabbed Karthik on Friday night. On Saturday, the case was alerted as murder case after the death of Poomathi and Nila.Karthik was produced before a local court, which remanded him in judicial custody. He was later lodged at the Salem Central Prison.

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