On Wednesday, an individual was apprehended for launching petrol bombs at the primary entrance of Tamil Nadu's Raj Bhavan, which serves as the official residence of the state Governor RN Ravi.
The incident unfolded at approximately 3 p.m. when Karuka Vinoth, the perpetrator, flung two petrol bombs toward the main gate of Raj Bhavan. Law enforcement authorities promptly arrested him before he could unleash two more petrol-filled bottles at the site.
According to the police, Vinoth had stolen petrol from motorcycles parked at the Saidapet Court premises before proceeding to Raj Bhavan. There, he funneled the petrol into bottles, ignited them, and targeted the main entrance. This incident comes merely three days after Vinoth's release, as he had been previously arrested in 2022 for hurling petrol bombs at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Chennai.
Additional Commissioner of Chennai Police, Prem Anand Sinha, provided insights into the incident, stating, "Around 3 pm today, on Sardar Patel road where Raj Bhavan is located, an individual from the opposite side attempted to throw bottles filled with petrol. Fortunately, the bottles did not rupture. On-duty officers swiftly apprehended him, securing him along with the remaining bottles in his possession."
He also shed light on the recurrent nature of Vinoth's actions, highlighting that he had previously engaged in similar mischief at a political party office (BJP) and even outside a police station. Authorities are now considering the appropriate measures to address his repeated offenses.
Responding to the incident, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai emphasized the challenges regarding law and order in the state, asserting that while the DMK is diverting attention towards minor matters, criminals are taking to the streets. He also noted that Vinoth, the same individual responsible for the attack on the BJP's Tamil Nadu headquarters in February 2022, was connected to the Raj Bhavan attack.
Edappadi K Palaniswami, the AIADMK leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, expressed shock over the incident. He raised concerns about the security of Tamil Nadu and its reputation as a peaceful state. Palaniswami pointed out that the intelligence and police departments in Tamil Nadu appeared ineffective under the DMK government.
Moreover, he alleged that the attack on Raj Bhavan had been plotted in prison and suggested a substantial conspiracy behind it. Given the attack's timing, with the President of India scheduled to visit Raj Bhavan as part of her official Chennai visit, Palaniswami contended that it illustrated a breakdown in law and order in Tamil Nadu.
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