Woman sets self-ablaze as husband did not buy her chicken biriyani

CHENNAI: A 28-year-old woman committed suicide at her house near Mamallapuram after her husband refused to buy chicken biriyani for her.

Police said the dead Sowmiya and Manoharan, 32, were residents of Poonjeri village near Mamallapuram and employed at a sculpture-making unit in the tourist town. The two have been married for 12 years and have a son and daughter aged 10 and 11.

On Wednesday, Sowmiya had asked Manoharan to buy chicken biriyani from a newly launched eatery, that had floated a buy one get one free offer on the inaugural day, police said. But chicken biriyani was sold out soon and Manoharan returned home buying kuska (plain biriyani). “Sowmiya got pissed off and refused to eat the plain briyani. Later, Manoharan gave the briyani to a neighbour and went to work,” a police officer said.

Sowmiya later doused herself with petrol and set her afire on the terrace of a two-storey building they resided in. A neighbour spotted her covered in burns and alerted police, who admitted her in Chengalpet government hospital for treatment. She died on Friday.

A case has been registered and further investigation is on.