Thrissur: Another girl in the state has fallen victim to a failed love affair after the recent death of a student in similar circumstances near Thiruvalla.
Neethu, 22, a student of Axis College of Engineering and Technology at Kodakara, was stabbed and set ablaze by a youth in her house at Chiyyaram near here on Thursday morning.
Though she was rushed to a nearby private hospital, her life could not be saved.
Nedupuzha police said that the accused Nidheesh, 28, of Vadakkekkad near Chavakkad, and Neethu were in a relationship and had broken off recently. Nidheesh works with an IT firm in Ernakulam. Nidheesh first stabbed her on the neck and chest and then poured petrol on her and set her on fire. He had entered her house near Ollukkavu temple through the back door at 7 a.m.
Her grandmother yelled for help on seeing him attacking Neethu after a heated altercation. The girl was seen lying inside the bathroom after the attack and smoke was emanating from there.
She also suffered burn injuries on her legs and the middle of her body, eyewitnesses said.
Neethu's mother had committed suicide when she was three months old. Her mother's family then severed the relationship with her father and she was living under the protection of her uncles and grandmother Vatsala at her house at Chiyyaram.
Two of her uncles are residing near her house. One of them, who was on the first floor of her house at the time of the incident, came down and caught hold of Nidheesh who was trying to escape after the crime. The accused was wearing gloves and he was tied up before he was handed over to the cops.
