The incident took place in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, the police said. (Representational)

Three persons were electrocuted to death and six others suffered burn injuries, when a man laid live electrical wire outside his neighbour's house to take revenge against a man who had eloped with his wife, the police said today.

The incident took place at Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday night, the police said.

Smarting from the desertion, the accused, a 46-year-old mason, had set up the trap to take revenge against the person who had eloped with his wife about a fortnight ago.

He laid live electrical wire outside the house of a person who is said to be a relative of his wife's paramour and set fire to clothes drying outside, the police said.

When the family members rushed out to douse the fire three of them were electrocuted to death, while six others suffered burn injuries, the police said.

With the accused missing, angry locals launched a search and found him near Akra railway station on Thursday.

They beat him up severely before handing him over to the police.

The accused was arrested and admitted to the Vidyasagar State General Hospital in Kolkata, where he is stated by doctors to be in a serious condition.

The injured were admitted to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, the police added.