MADURAI: A court in

in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday sentenced a 42-year-old

to life imprisonment for murdering her 13-year-old

daughter

in 2012.

Rajeshwari, wife of Gopal of Barathi Nagar in Kovilpatti, set her daughter, Marichelvi, on fire for refusing to go school. Rajeshwari and Gopal were labourers. Marichelvi was a Class VI student.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) V Subashini said the girl had been enrolled in a government-aided school at Manthithoppu which had a hostel. “The girl was a slow learner and was not interested in continuing her studies there. On June 11, 2012, days after the school reopened, the girl returned home,” she said.

This left her mother Rajeshwari fuming and she scolded her daughter, asking her to go back to school. “The next day, the mother once again asked her to go back to the school hostel. When the girl refused, Rajeshwari poured kerosene on her, set her ablaze and left the house,” the SPP said.

Gopal, who was still asleep, heard his daughter’s cries for help and rescued her.

Marichelvi, who suffered 75% burns, was rushed to Kovilpatti Government Hospital where she died on October 1, 2012.

Fast track mahila court sessions judge C Kumar Saravanan convicted Rajeshwari and sentenced to life imprisonment. A fine of Rs 5,000 was also slapped on her.