KOCHI: The Perumbavoor police on Wednesday arrested a man who set his former live-in partner’s house on fire in Iringole. The accused is Aneesh, 38, a native of Kollam.
Though the woman and her children were inside the house at the time of the incident, they managed to escape unhurt, police said. According to police, Aneesh initiated the attack after the woman ended their relationship and began an affair with another man.
“Aneesh allegedly trespassed into the house premises around 1.30am and, after repeatedly knocking on the door and calling the woman without receiving a response, became enraged. He then broke a window and set fire to a motorbike belonging to the woman’s male friend, which was parked on the car porch. The fire engulfed quickly, damaging side windows, collapsing part of the roof, and destroying plastic curtains in the sit-out area,” said T M Soofi, the SHO of Perumbavoor police station.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Aneesh and the woman were previously in a live-in relationship but had separated. Since August 2024, he had been persistently pressuring her to reconcile, claiming he couldn’t live without her. He reportedly harassed her in person, over phone calls, and by following her, said Soofi. The accused has been remanded in judicial custody.