Six of a family burnt to death

Chennai: Six members of a family, including children, were burnt alive in their sleep early on Monday morning in an arson attack on their hut by miscreants in Ramanathapuram district, said police.

The victicms were identified as Karuppaiah, his daughter-in-law Kalimuthu, grand-children K. Kaaleeswari, K. Bala Murugan, K. Saranya and K. Sakthi.

Kalimuthu's husband is working overseas.

Police said the hut was at an isolated spot in a village in Ramanathapuram district, 550 km from Chennai.

A land dispute may be the reason for the alleged murders, police said. A team has been formed to probe the incident.