Suspecting fidelity, a watchman attempted to burn his wife to death in their house near Periyanaickenpalayam on the outskrits, in the early hours of today.

According to police, Pappusamy, working as a watchman at a mobile shop and a habitual drunkard, often used to pick up quarrel with his wife Maheswari.

Unable to bear the torture, she had left for her house three days ago, but returned after he persuaded her, they said.

Suspecting the fidelity, Pappusamy poured fuel from the stove kept in the kitchen and set her on fire in the early hours. Hearing the screams their two sons rushed there and managed to put off the fire and admitted to the Government Hospital here, where she is being treated, police said.

Police have registered a case and search was on for Pappusamy.