Chennai has witnessed another case of jilted lover setting his object of desire on fire and along with her, her mother and sister too.

Akash, 23, an unemployed engineering graduate has been chasing his onetime classmate Induja for nearly one month even after she had allegedly rejected him.

On Monday, he came to the residence of Induja in Saraswathy Nagar, Adambakkam area of Velachery in South Chennai at around 9 p.m. and called her out, threatening to commit suicide if she did not come to meet him.

Induja, her mother Renuka and sister Nivedita came out fearing that he might commit suicide.

When the trio came, Akash, who was carrying with him a yellow plastic can, threw its contents – petrol and tried to set them afire. When the light did not work, he threw it down, when suddenly it fired and within seconds the trio were in flames.

Hearing shrieks and seeing the burning figures, neighbours tried to douse the flames as also informed the police. A neighbour told a television channel that ambulance took its own time in arriving, 40 minutes after they called the emergency ambulance service.

The trio were rushed to the Kilpauck Medical College hospital, where Induja was declared brought dead and her mother and sister, who suffered 50 per cent and 20 per cent burn injuries respectively are being treated.

Induja’s father, Shanmugam, is a professional working in Canada.

Akash, who escaped from the spot last night, was on Tuesday arrested by the Kodambakkam police and he is being questioned at the police station. Investigating officer, S Murali said the motive appeared to be very clear – that he wanted to punish the girl for refusing his advances.