Coimbatore BJP president’s SUV set on fire

Coimbatore: Two men on motorcycles set fire to a sport utility vehicle (SUV) owned by BJP district president CR Nandakumar in the early hours of Wednesday. The front portion of the car, which was parked on the porch of the BJP leader’s house at Balan Nagar in Peelamedu, was completely destroyed.
The incident took place around 2.47am, police sources said. CCTV footage collected from households and shops in the area showed two men on motorcycles pouring petrol on the SUV’s front portion from outside the compound wall of the house and setting it on fire.
After checking CCTV footage, Peelamedu police said the faces of the attackers were not clear. “They were wearing helmets. We suspect the involvement of some rival parties in the incident,” a senior officer said.
Nandakumar’s mother was the first to get out of the house. She alerted other family members, who tried to extinguish the fire. “I was woken up by the noise and when I came out, saw the car in fire and two men wearing helmets fleeing from the place,” Nandakumar told TOI. He informed police and fire and rescue services personnel, who reached the spot and doused the blaze.
Nandakumar said that he has handed over the footage from a CCTV camera installed at his house to the police.
Police commissioner K Periaiah said that police are investigating the incident based on the CCTV footage. “Forensic experts inspected the crime scene. We have formed four special teams and have gathered some evidence. We will arrest the culprits soon,” he said.
On March 7, petrol bombs were hurled at the BJP office on VKK Menon Road. Police arrested three Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam members in connection with the incident. “I suspect that the same outfit is behind this attack also,” Nandakumar said.
Police also suspect that it could be a counter-attack, as on Monday, a statue of Periyar EV Ramasamy was vandalised in Pudukottai district.
Meanwhile, Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath condemned the attack and said that the accused should be arrested immediately. He also alleged that several radical outfits have joining hands to perpetrate attacks against leaders of Hindu outfits.