An elderly woman was killed after a 48-year-old man, M. Akbar Ali, set on fire four persons, including his wife and two stepchildren, following a domestic quarrel in Sivakasi early on Tuesday. Akbar Ali suffered 100% burns after he accidentally caught fire.
According to the police, Akbar Ali married Syed Ali Fatima, 35, the widow of Mubarak Ali. He lived with Fatima, her children Parveen Banu, 18, and Syed Farook, 15, and Mubarak Ali’s mother D. Sikkander Beevi, 66. Recently, Fatima received ₹11 lakh compensation for Mubarak Ali’s death. Since then, Akbar Ali has been demanding money from her. After being arrested in November for assaulting her, he came out on bail on December 9.
At around 6:30 on Tuesday, he doused the women and children with petrol and set them on fire when they were asleep at their house on Muslim Odai Street. While the girl suffered 35% burns, the others were critically injured. They were rushed to the Government Hospital in Sivakasi, where Beevi succumbed to burns.
Published – December 23, 2025 10:44 pm IST
