A woman’s residence in Coimbatore was allegedly attacked with kerosene bombs by a man after she reportedly rejected his romantic advances and stopped communicating with him upon learning about his criminal background, police officials said.
The incident took place on Sunday night and caused panic in the neighbourhood after the attack triggered a fire that spread to a scooter parked inside the porch of the house.
According to police, the accused has been identified as Karthik.
Investigators said Karthik allegedly threw bottles filled with kerosene at the woman’s house following ongoing tensions between them.
Police stated that the woman had recently stopped speaking to the accused after discovering that as many as 31 criminal cases were allegedly pending against him.
Officials further said that before the attack, Karthik had also allegedly threatened to kill the woman.
The kerosene bombs ignited a fire upon impact, and flames quickly spread to a two-wheeler parked near the entrance of the house.
CCTV footage from the locality reportedly captured the scooter catching fire while family members and nearby residents rushed outside in an attempt to extinguish the flames before the fire spread further.
The footage also showed local residents gathering around the residence shortly after the incident, creating scenes of panic and commotion in the area.
Fortunately, no deaths or serious injuries were immediately reported in the attack.
Police teams later reached the spot and began an investigation into the incident.
Officials said they are closely examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the sequence of events and gather additional evidence against the accused.
Investigators are also probing the nature of the relationship between the woman and the accused, previous threats allegedly issued by him, and whether the attack had been pre-planned.
The incident has once again raised concerns regarding crimes linked to harassment, stalking, threats, and violent retaliation following rejection in personal relationships.
Police said further legal action would be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation, and efforts to trace and apprehend the accused are underway.
