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Man accused of torching wine shop
A man has been arrested after allegedly setting fire to a wine shop in the Indian city of Visakhapatnam yesterday when it refused to sell him alcohol.
The man, identified in some reports as ‘Madhu’, had gone to the shop on Saturday (11 November) to buy drinks just before it shut, but the shopkeeper declined to serve him, sparking an argument. Madhu then threatened the shopkeeper that he would seek revenge.
Madhu then returned the following day (12 November), which was also the Hindu festival of Diwali, and poured petrol on the shop and over the employees, who fled before he set the building ablaze.
The fire, which destroyed computers, printers, as well as presumably some of the shop’s stock, is reported to have caused ₹1.5 lakh (approximately £1,470) worth of damage.
The suspected arsonist has been arrested. Inspector Rama Krishna of the Pothinamallayya Palem police station said: “A case was filed against the accused under Sections 307 and 436 of the IPC [Indian Penal Code].”
Section 307 pertains to attempted murder, while 436 relates to “mischief by fire or any explosive substance, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, the destruction of any building which is ordinarily used as a place of worship or as a human dwelling or as a place for the custody of property”. Both offences are punishable by imprisonment for life.
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