BENGALURU: A 27-year-old man set his scooter on fire in front of Vidhana Soudha around 3.30 pm on Wednesday, causing panic among motorists and the public. The burning vehicle and thick smoke emanating from it affected traffic on the busy road for a while. His frustration was said to be aimed at the police for not registering a complaint filed by his mother.
The police immediately detained the accused, identified as Pruthviraj -- a resident of Yeshwanthpur, and later arrested him. Pruthivraj, who works at a private company in Bengaluru, hails from Challakere in Chitradurga.
The police said he put a rope in the petrol tank and lit it, causing the fire in the middle of the road. A fire tender was pressed into service and the blaze was brought under control.
The police said Pruthviraj had gone on a trek with his friends recently and his mother was not able to contact him over phone. Concerned, she went to the police station in Challakere to file a missing complaint and to enquire about him. But the police allegedly dismissed her concerns, saying Pruthviraj would return soon. When he returned home, he learnt about the incident from his mother. When they both went to the police station to ask as to why the complaint was not registered, the police allegedly abused both of them.
On Wednesday, as the police were arresting him, Pruthivraj spewed insults at them. He said he was abused by the police at Challakere in front of his mother. He claimed that he set the vehicle afire as he didn’t get justice. The police have booked him under various sections of BNS.