Man burns 90-year-old mother-in-law to death

Ponnusamy, who was arrested on Wednesday, admitted to setting fire to a thatched hut in Kasipilapalayam near Perundurai, in which his mother-in-law was charred to death, police said. They said the villagers of the area had approached Ponnusamy some days ago to allow them to park their two wheelers in the space where the hut was located on the day the consecration was to be performed at a nearby temple.

Though Ponnusamy agreed, his mother-in-law, who was living in the hut for more than 20 years, refused to move out, police said.

Investigating the fire on a complaint from Ponnusamy`s wife, the daughter of the deceased, police arrested Ponnusamy on suspicion and said he had confessed to the crime.