By K.M. LEW

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a sombre Deepavali for the family of a three-year-old boy who perished in a fire in his flat in Batu Caves near here on Thursday.
     A. Praveen Dhurai, who had celebrated his birthday two weeks ago, was laid to rest at a Hindu cemetery in Taman Kepong yesterday.
     Praveen, who was with two older siblings. was in his house on the third floor at Jalan 3, Centre Point when the incident occurred at about 11.30am. His parents were away at the time.

Deep sorrow: B. Anadhurai sharing the grief of his wife Puguniswary as their son Saravanan, five, looks on.

     Police believe he had died due to burns and smoke inhalation.
     Gombak OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rahim Abdullah said the victim, the youngest of five siblings, had injuries to his hands and face.
     “We believe the cause of death is asphyxia,” he said, adding a post-mortem would be conducted at the Selayang Hospital where the body was sent.
      He said initial investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a short circuit.
     At the Selayang Hospital mortuary, Praveen’s mother S. Puguniswary, 36, said she and her two other children had gone to Chow Kit to buy groceries for Deepavali while her husband B. Annadurai had gone to Puspakom.
     “My husband forced his way into the burning house to look for our son and found him on the floor. He was still breathing at that time,” she said.
     He sent Praveen to Hospital Kuala Lumpur but the boy was pronounced dead on arrival.