K’taka labourer accused of setting kin’s house ablaze found dead

Kodagu, April 6 : A labourer, accused of setting ablaze his relatives house following a tiff with his wife that claimed the lives of six persons, was found dead in a paddy field in Ponnampet in Karnatakas Kodagu district, police said on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Bhoja, 55, a resident of Kanuru village.

According to the police, the casualties in the fire incident have mounted to seven, with one of the victims, Bhagyamma succumbing to her burn injuries on Tuesday morning."Some farmers spotted Bhojas body in a paddy field on Tuesday morning, which is just a few meters away from the incident site.

The nature of the death is yet to be ascertained as we are awaiting the autopsy report, but prime facie it appears that he had consumed poison," police added.Police said that Bhoja was a worker in a coffee estate.

He used to quarrel with his wife Babi over petty issues under the influence of alcohol."The incident took place on Saturday, after Babi, being fed up of her husbands quarrelsome behaviour and drinking habit, had left for her brothers house.

Bhoja came to the place and got engaged in a heated argument with his wife, asking her to return home.Following her refusal, he went to his relatives house after midnight and set ablaze the house after locking all its doors.

Four persons were charred to death on the spot, while three others succumbed to burn injuries later," added a police officer.