A man on Monday set his wife and children ablaze before immolating himself outside the Tirunelveli Collectorate in Tamil Nadu, PTI reported. The couple had been protesting against the alleged inaction of police over their complaint against a moneylender.

The family was taken to Tirunelveli Medical College and Hospital where Isakimuthu is said to be in a critical condition, The Hindu reported. His wife Subbulakshmi and two minor daughters succumbed to their burn injuries on Monday evening, the report added.

A daily wage labourer, Isakimuthu, had borrowed Rs 1.45 lakh from a moneylender, identified as Muthulakshmi, in Tirunelveli. Though the couple had repaid more than Rs 2 lakh in interest, they were allegedly being subjected to constant harassment, The News Minute reported.

Isakimuthu had filed complaints at six weekly grievance redressal meetings at the collectorate, his brother Gopi told The Hindu. Despite being directed by the collectorate, the police took no action against the moneylender, Gopi added.

Later on Monday, the Tirunelveli Police booked Muthulakshmi, her husband Thalavairaj and his father Sonakali under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including abetment to suicide, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Exorbitant Interest Act, The Times of India reported.