Madurai

A parotta master, R. Kaleeswaran, set on fire his wife and daughter, in which the wife, Lathapandi, died and the 13-year-old daughter, Mahalakshmi, was battling for life, here on Wednesday.

The police said that the woman and man were married 14 years ago and had two children. The man had been frequently quarrelling and harassing his wife.

The couple, along with their children, were living in a house with Lathapandi’s elder sister’s family at Anuppanadi. When Kaleeswaran picked a quarrel on Tuesday, Mahalakshmi had defended her mother and questioned her father.

An irate Kaleeswaran warned them of dire consequence and left the house.

Later, when the family members were sleeping, Kaleeswaran had set both his wife and daughter on fire at around 4 a.m. Both were rushed tot he Government Rajaji Hospital, where Lathapandi succumbed to injuries.

The Teppakulam police have booked Kaleeswaran for murder and attempt to murder and are on the lookout for the absconding accused.