TIRUNELVELI: Tirunelveli city police arrested a 24-year-old youth for hurling a petrol bomb at the compound wall of a temple in the Town area allegedly over a previous enmity. A search to find his accomplice is on.
The accused persons were identified as Shanmugaraja (24) and Mohammed Niyas (23) of Tirunelveli city. While Shanmugaraja has been apprehended, Niyas is absconding.
According to a city police officer, Shanmugaraja and one Harish were involved in a drunken brawl at a birthday party organised a few months ago. "Out of this enmity, Shanmugaraja and Niyas targeted Harish's vehicle, which was parked near the Sudalaimadan temple. However, when Niyas hurled the petrol bomb, it missed the vehicle and hit the temple's compound wall, causing an explosion. No persons were injured and no property damage was reported. Following a complaint filed by Harish's father Subramanian, the police arrested Shanmugaraja."
Notably, Tirunelveli has recently witnessed a spate in similar incidents. A few weeks ago, petrol bombs were thrown inside a theatre complex screening the movie 'Amaran'. Later, a group of youths hurled a petrol bomb at police officials. Recently, a petrol bomb was thrown into a house in Pallakkal Pothukudi village, which also falls under the Tirunelveli district police jurisdiction.