Physiotherapist dies in fire, journalist battles for life

Mysore, Mar 29 (UNI) A physiotherapist from the city was charred to death and a journalist of a Tamil newspaper was seriously injured in a fire at a lodge here last evening, police said today.

Prabhavathi (25), who had recently joined the Mission Hospital as a physiotherapist and a resident of Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, succumbed to his injuries, while 'Tamil Sudar' newspaper Sub-Editor A M Manohari of Saidapet, Chennai, received burns. She had been admitted to the K R Hospital.

Sources said Manohari had checked into the lodge yesterday morning and later Prabhavati joined her. After having lunch, Manohari, engulfed in flames, came out of the room screaming for help. A room boy saw the other woman also in flames. The hotel staff immediately called the police and shifted Manohari to the hospital.

However, Prabhavati succumbed to the burns by then.

Police recovered Manohari's office identity card and few tins of petrol from their room.

After conducting a post-mortem, the body of Prabhavati was handed over to her father today.

UNI