A 24-year-old mother doused her 10-month-old son with kerosene and set him on fire and immediately set herself ablaze allegedly after a quarrel with her former husband in Kodungaiyur on Thursday night. The mother Kavitha and son were both declared brought dead after neighbors rushed them to the Stanley Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in north Chennai.

Kavitha and her ex-husband Rathinakumar, a two-wheeler mechanic quarreled among them following which Rathina Kumar allegedly abused and assaulted Kavitha. Immediately in a fit of a rage Kavitha set her son on fire and then burnt herself police said.

Kavitha had married Rathinakumar and the couple divorced in 2007. After getting the divorce papers from court, Rathinakumar married Kanchana and lived in Kodungaiyur police said.

Strangely Rathina Kumar met Kavitha and the two allegedly "reunited" in 2009 police said. Meanwhile Rathina Kumar rented a house for Kavitha and continued to meet her thrice a week. But when Kavitha gave birth to a boy he angered Kavitha by reportedly reducing the visits police said.

Rathina Kumar had told Kavitha on Thursday night that they both were living illegally and that she should not prevent him from meeting Kanchana, whom he had legally married. The police said that they think that this may have angered Kavitha. A case has been registered at Kodungaiyur police station and being investigated.