Engineer held for abetting suicide

CHENNAI: An engineer has been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide after a 30-year-old woman whom he allegedly scolded, immolated herself in  Sembium on Monday. The woman’s mother, who suffered burns while trying to save her, died on Wednesday. Months ago, Uma Maheswaran, an engineer, paid Rs 17,000 to Mahalingam for video coverage of his wedding. Mahalingam covered the marriage, but did not handover the photographs and DVD to Maheswaran. Meanwhile, Mahalingam met with a mishap and injured his hand. He then gave up photography and took up painting. As he had spent the money paid by Maheswaran, he could not return it, a police inspector said. Maheswaran obtained Mahalingam’s address and went to his house on Monday. His wife, Revathy (30) was alone at home. “Mahesh asked her why her husband had not given the photos. A tiff followed and Maheswaran slapped Revathy and left,” the officer said.Revathy rushed to her mother Saraswathy’s house in Sembium and narrated the incident. They then lodged a complaint at MKB Nagar police station on Monday. The inspector summoned Maheswaran. Once at her mother’s house, Revathy doused herself with kerosene and set herself ablaze. Saraswathy tried to save her in vain and suffered burns. The police later arrested Mahesh from his house in Villivakkam.