A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing a petrol bomb near his girlfriend’s home in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district early Friday. The accused, identified as Nagarjuna, a load man, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when the incident occurred. Police have taken him into custody and are questioning him as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to police, Nagarjuna had been in a relationship with the woman for around six years and was upset after she stopped speaking to him for about a week. A police officer confirmed that the accused was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident and has been remanded to judicial custody.
CCTV footage from the area captured the incident. The footage reportedly shows Nagarjuna appearing to ignite an object before throwing it near the house. The object burst into flames but fell back towards him, following which he ran away from the spot. Another man was seen sleeping outside a nearby shop when the incident occurred.
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Police subsequently traced and arrested Nagarjuna in connection with the incident. Investigators are questioning him to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack and the events leading up to it. Authorities are also examining the CCTV footage and other available evidence as part of the investigation.
The incident comes amid a wider political debate in Tamil Nadu over crime, law and order and women’s safety. The issue was raised in the state Assembly a day earlier during a discussion involving the ruling TVK government and the opposition. Opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin alleged an increase in murders, sexual offences, custodial deaths and honour killings.
PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna countered the allegations by questioning the crime data maintained during the previous DMK government and alleging a lack of transparency. Chief Minister Vijay, who also holds the Home portfolio, indicated that he would respond to the Opposition’s questions on Monday. The latest incident is likely to add to the ongoing discussion around law and order in the state.
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