The Tamil Nadu police have filed a case against a man for hurling a petrol bomb outside the main gate of the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on 25th October. A senior police official reportedly said that the accused is being interrogated to determine the motive behind the attack.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: A petrol bomb was hurled outside Raj Bhavan today in Chennai. A complaint has been lodged in Guindy police station.
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2023
Further details awaited. pic.twitter.com/irbfkZ3sYL
The accused has been identified as a history sheeter named K Vinoth, who is a habitual offender with reportedly 6-7 cases against him. A case has been registered against him under sections 436, 353, 506(ii) IPC, Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act and Section 4 of the TNPDL Act.
The same accused was responsible for the attack on Tamil Nadu BJP’s headquarters in Chennai in February 2022.A tweet by the official handle of Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan read, “Raj Bhavan was attacked today afternoon. Miscreants carrying bombs tried to barge in through the main gate. However, alert sentries prevented and assailants hurled two petrol bombs inside Raj Bhavan and escaped.”
Raj Bhavan was attacked today afternoon. Miscreants carrying bombs tried to barge in through the main gate. However, alert sentries prevented and assailants hurled two petrol bombs inside Raj Bhavan and escaped.@PMOIndia @HMOIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @ANI @PTI_News
— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) October 25, 2023
Initial reports had suggested that two petrol bombs were hurled but the police reportedly told PTI that only one bomb was used and “it did not create any impact the way the accused expected”. The attack damaged the barricades and some plants.
A complaint has been filed at Guindy police station. Additional Commission of Chennai police Prem Anand Sinha said, “Around 3 pm, an unidentified person tried to throw some bottles of petrol outside Raj Bhavan near barricades. As soon as this was noticed by the security personnel present there, they surrounded him, confiscated other bottles from his hand and immediately handed him over to the patrol vehicle and took him to the police station.”
He further said that the accused seemed drunk. “There is absolute alert and proper bandobast in front of the Raj Bhavan.” Security was heightened outside the Governor’s House following the attack.
Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai took to X, formerly Twitter, criticising the law and order situation in the DMK-ruled state. “Petrol bombs were hurled at Raj Bhavan today, reflects the true law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. While DMK is busy diverting the attention of people to insignificant matters of interest, criminals have taken the streets.”
Petrol bombs were hurled at Raj Bhavan today, reflects the true law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. While DMK is busy diverting the attention of people to insignificant matters of interest, criminals have taken the streets.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 25, 2023
Incidentally, it is the same person who attacked…
Annamalai said that the continuous spate of attacks leaves one to think that the “DMK government is sponsoring these attacks”. “Thiru @mkstalin will now be preparing for the next diversion, as he always does,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, political commentator Sumanth C Raman in what looks like a retort to Annamalai, said that hurling two petrol bombs does not break law and order in the state.
Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate. #PetrolBomb
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) October 25, 2023
Taking to X, Raman downplayed the intensity of the attack, writing that “Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate.”
When a user replied with a counter, Raman added, “A petrol bomb is nothing but petrol set alight with some cloth in a bottle and thrown.”
The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) has condemned the attack even as it has announced that it will proceed with its demonstration on Saturday, 28th October. The TMMK will reportedly lay siege to Raj Bhavan seeking premature release of 49 prisoners including Muslims.
