NAGAPATTINAM: A 42-year-old man here was on Wednesday evening arrested for allegedly torching his father's auto spare parts shop on Tuesday night. While no casualties were reported, as many as eight two-wheelers that were parked in the adjacent shop were gutted in the incident. According to sources, M Lakshmanan of Thamaraipulam village in Thalaignayiru, a labourer, was living with his mother Sellam after the latter became estranged from her husband Mariappan. Mariappan stays with his second wife Gandhimathi and their daughter.
Mariappan was running an auto spare parts shop near his house. Lakshmanan allegedly kept visiting his father to demand money and at times also got into altercations. On Tuesday evening, Lakshmanan went to Mariappan's house to demand money, but Mariappan's second wife Gandhimathi and her daughter had informed him that he was not home, sources said. Lakshmanan, who was allegedly inebriated, then picked up a quarrel with Gandhimathi. Fearing for her safety, Gandhimathi set her dog loose which bit Lakshmanan and chased him away, they added.
An infuriated Lakshmanan then set his father's shop afire around 11.30 pm. The flames also spread to the adjacent mechanic shop owned by Rajadurai, and gutted eight two-wheelers, sources said. Two fire and rescue services team doused the flames in the two shops after an hour. On Wednesday morning, Mariappan lodged a complaint with the Vettaikaraniruppu police stating that his son Lakshmanan may have set the shops on fire. On inquiries, Lakshmanan allegedly confessed to the arson.
Lakshmanan was booked under Section 435 (arson) of the IPC and was remanded to judicial custody at Mayiladuthurai sub-jail. Further investigations are on.