Nine-year-old sets herself ablaze for losing father's phone

A nine-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide by setting herself ablaze fearing her parents would beat her for losing her father's mobile phone, in Konaivaikkal area in the district, police said.

Anjali, a third standard student, was playing along with her younger brother and sister on Wednesday when their father's mobile phone accidentally fell into the drainage, police said.

Fearing her parents, who were away, would beat her when they discovered that she had lost the mobile, Anjali poured kerosene on herself and set herself ablaze, police said. Though people in the neighbourhood doused the fire and admitted Anjali in hospital, she succumbed to her burn injuries on Thursday, police said.