Spurned by wife man sets home afire

Gangtok, May 7: Unable to bear separation from his wife, a man set his own house on fire today, in the process burning down three of his other houses at 2nd Mile, Ranka, East Sikkim.

A neighbouring grocery shop too was reduced to ashes in the fire set by an enraged Phu Tshering Sherpa(60). The blaze caused extensive damage to another house. All the houses were made of wood.

Sherpa's estranged wife used to stay in one of the affected houses. She was staying separately with her two children for the past two months.

''We had our differences as any normal couple does. But I never thought that my husband will set afire to our own homes,'' the wife said.

After the crime, Sherpa hacked the water supply pipes and ran away, the villagers said.

By the time, Gangtok fire services dowsed the fire all the five houses had been burnt to ashes. The families said they were caught unaware and could not salvage anything.

Now only four houses remain in the village.

UNI