Unrepentant dad arrested for burning 3-year-old daughter alive, charged with murder (Malwani, India)

Classic spousal revenge murder. Dad VERRAPAN KOUNDER was obviously an alcoholic abusive control freak. He was "insecure" (i.e. obsessively controlling) when it came to his wife. He didn't like her holding a job. He accused her of "affairs" (this type always does). She finally leaves the marital home after "a tiff" (assault?), but the children were left with the father. So he gets drunk, gets mad because the 3-year-old daughter is crying, and burns her alive. The 5-year-old son, who somehow escaped the same fate, is in a state of total shock. Police say Daddy isn't sorry in the slightest. In fact, I'm sure he'll find somebody else to blame--like Mom. This type never takes responsibility for their actions--whether it's in India, Canada, the US, or someplace else.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Malwani-man-held-for-setting-daughter-ablaze/Article1-738346.aspx

Malwani man held for setting daughter ablaze
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
August 27, 2011
First Published: 01:38 IST(27/8/2011)
Last Updated: 01:39 IST(27/8/2011)

The five-year-old boy Srinivas, whose younger sister died after their father set her ablaze is in a state of shock. The father of the children, Veerapan Kounder, who was in an inebriated state, had tried to set both his children on fire but Srinivas managed to escape while his sister Shivkumari, 3, sustained 100% burns.

A close relative of the family said, “Srinivas is in a state of shock. He saw the charred body of his little sister and cannot get that sight out of his mind. He was lucky to have fled from the spot or he would have met with the same fate.”

The police said that Veerapan is not repenting his actions but the family and relatives said it is too late as they have lost Shivkumari forever. “We will never be able to forgive him for what he has done,” said another relative.

Veerapan, a Malwani resident, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of murder. Srinivas, who managed to flee from the spot, alerted the relatives who stayed in the same locality and the girl was rushed to a local hospital.

Considering her condition, she was shifted to KEM Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on Thursday noon.

“Veerapan in his statement told us that after pouring kerosene on the child he lit a match and was about to change his mind when the matchstick fell on Shivkumari and she got engulfed in flames,” said Abdul Rauf Shaikh, senior police inspector of Malwani police station.

The police further said that Veerapan was insecure about his wife. He did not like her going out for work and suspected that she was having an extramarital affair due to which the couple had frequent tiffs.

Three days ago, after one such tiff, Veerapan’s wife Velapatti left the house to stay with a relative.

On Wednesday night, when Veerapan came home, he got irritated on seeing the three-year-old crying after he shouted at his son and he poured kerosene on them.

Veerapan was produced in the court and has been remanded to police custody till August 30.