'Angry' At Smoking Girls, 70-Year-Old Man Sets Indore Cafe On Fire

The accused blamed his actions on his aversion to seeing girls smoking at the cafe, which fueled his rage and subsequent arson.

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An incident involving a 70-year-old man setting fire to a cafe in Indore has been revealed, which is thought to have been triggered by his 'disapproval' of girls smoking in the establishment, according to a local official on Wednesday. According to the news agency PTI, which cited Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia, the elderly man targeted the recreational facility in the late hours of Tuesday when it was empty.

Following the identification of his involvement through CCTV footage, the suspect was apprehended. Although the official did not reveal any specifics about the accused, he did reveal that he had retired from the Department of Telecommunications, the report said. 

During his initial statements, the accused blamed his actions on his aversion to seeing girls smoking at the cafe, which fueled his rage and subsequent arson. Police officials, however, have noted inconsistencies in his statements, according to the report. The precise motivation for the arson act is still being investigated.

Despite the fact that the cafe was empty at the time of the incident, which occurred under the jurisdiction of the Lasudia police station, it was completely destroyed. According to Dandotia, the cafe owner bore the brunt of the fire's impact, incurring an estimated loss of approximately Rs 4 lakh.

A formal case has been filed against the accused under section 436 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with "mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy a house, etc," it said. 

Furthermore, the cafe owner told investigators that the suspect had been hanging out at the establishment for several days prior to the incident.

One Dead After Tanker Overturns In MP's Narsinghpur

A tanker carrying flammable material overturned and caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Narsinghpur district on Wednesday, killing one and injuring another, news agency ANI reported citing a police officer. On Tuesday evening, an accident occurred on National Highway (NH) 44 near Dhedwara village in the Mangwani police station area.

VIDEO | A tanker carrying inflammable substances overturned and caught fire in Madhya Pradesh’s Narsinghpur. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/0JUBlefX9P

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 11, 2023

Following word of the accident, nearby villagers rushed to the scene and called the police. The tanker's driver died at the scene, and the helper suffered severe burn injuries. The assistance was rushed to a hospital, where he is being treated. 

"A tanker travelling at high speeds and carrying flammable material overturned and caught fire on the border of Seoni and Narsinghpur in the district's Mangwani police station area. The tanker driver died in the accident, and the helper suffered severe burns," Narsinghpur SP Amit Kumar was quoted as saying by ANI.

At the time of filing this report, police and fire tenders had arrived on the scene, and a dousing operation was underway. He also stated that additional research is being conducted, the report said.