Chennai: Gone are the days when an employee gets their pay docked for a mistake or reprimanded for poor work quality. On Sunday, Feb 18, a 34-year-old lab assistant at Sri Balaji Diagnostics, got the shock of her life when she was doused with a flammable chemical and set ablaze by her boss, causing her burns to 46% of her body. The incident occurred in Madipakkam.

Yamuna, the unsuspecting employee is said to have rushed out of the diagnostic centre whilst on fire, screaming for help. Passers-by rushed to the woman’s aid and rushed her to the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital where she was admitted.

He employer, Raja is said to have attacked Yamuna out of rage because she handed the wrong report to a customer. Raja however, refutes the accusations saying that the woman set herself on fire adding that he has suffered a lot of losses owing to Yamuna’s incompetence.

Yamuna lives in Sivasubramaniam Nagar with her husband Anandan, a cab driver, and their 4-year-old daughter.

Anandan has said that Yamuna had never complained about Raja and had no inkling of his murderous intent.

According to the police, Raja and Yamuna have known each other for long as they previously worked together as lab assisstants at a private hopital before Raja set up his own diagnostic centre. Exposing more holes in Raja’s story, the police said that if she was indeed incompetent, Raja would not have hired her and even gone so far as to offer more pay.

The Madipakkam police have arrested Raja and charged him with attempt to murder.