KOLLAM: A 52-year-old man died by suicide after setting his house on fire in Eroor village on Sunday night. The deceased has been identified as Vinod, a resident of the area.

According to police, the incident occurred on Sunday night following a quarrel with his wife and daughter-in-law. Vinod allegedly opened the gas cylinder and ignited it, causing a fire and a subsequent explosion that completely destroyed the house.

After setting the fire, he reportedly went to his bedroom and hanged himself from the ceiling fan.

Though relatives alerted the police, Vinod had already set the house ablaze by the time officers arrived. A fire and rescue team from Punalur later reached the spot and extinguished the blaze.

Police said Vinod frequently came home under the influence of alcohol and would often engage in arguments with family members. On the day of the incident, a similar quarrel reportedly preceded the tragedy.

The body has been shifted to the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, for postmortem examination.