KALABURAGI: Frustrated with unresolved glitches in his new electric scooter, a 26-year-old man set fire to an Ola Electric showroom on Humanabad Road in Kalaburagi city on Tuesday.
Six new scooters were destroyed in the blaze, though there were no casualties as fire safety personnel quickly extinguished the flames. The estimated damage to the showroom is more than Rs 8 lakh. About a dozen scooters parked in another part of the showroom, however, remained intact, a police officer said.
Mohammad Nadeem, a mechanic, has been arrested for his suspected involvement in the crime. He has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody and moved to Kalaburagi Central Jail. Nadeem had purchased the scooter on Aug 28 for Rs 1.4 lakh.
However, the two-wheeler soon developed problems with its battery and the liquid crystal display. Despite multiple visits to the service centre, the issues remained unresolved. According to police, Nadeem, exasperated by staffers' negligence in addressing his concerns, set the showroom on fire.
Before it opened Tuesday, Nadeem poured two litres of petrol and threw in a matchstick. As the carpet caught fire, leaping flames devoured six brand new scooters parked in the display section.
Initially, a short circuit was suspected as cause of fire. However, police zeroed in on Nadeem after screening CCTV footage, which revealed a man pouring some liquid and fleeing from the spot.
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