Hunt on for man who burnt wife, son

CHENNAI: A hunt is on for a 42-year-old man who allegedly set his wife and 19-year-old son afire at their house on Canal Bank Road in Adyar on Tuesday, after a feud.
Around 3am, some neighbours noticed flames in Ashok Raj's house and alerted the fire and rescue service personnel who rushed there and doused the fire. The victims, Maheswari (39) and her son Gowthaman, a Class 12 student, were rushed to the Government Hospital in Royapettah.
At the hospital, Maheswari, who suffered severe burn injuries, told the police and the doctors that her husband had poured kerosene over her body before setting it ablaze. She soon died of the burn injuries along with Gowthaman.
The Adyar police registered a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and launched a hunt for Ashok Raj. Initial inquiries by the police in the neighbourhood revealed that Ashok Raj, who works in a printing press, suspected his wife's fidelity and often fought with her over the issue. Their first son Karthik (22) had committed suicide by jumping into the sea off the Marina Beach a few months ago over the same issue, the police found.
Maheswari recently got a huge sum from the company that had insured Karthik and Ashok Raj had been pestering her to give him the money, the police said
On Monday night, the couple picked up a fresh quarrel and Raj allagedly assaulted Maheswari. Later, they went to bed. In the wee hours of Tuesday, Raj woke up, poured kerosene on Maheswari's body and set her afire. A sleeping Gowthaman woke up on hearing his mother's screams and tried to rescue her but got burnt. By this time, Raj had locked the door from outside and fled, the police said.
The fire spread all over the house and Maheswari and Gowthaman were trapped. The fire and rescue services personnel, alerted by neighbours, rushed there and put out the flames.
"We have formed special teams to nab Ashok Raj. Teams have fanned out to all possible hideouts," a police officer said.