THANE: A 28-year-old 'jilted lover' has been arrested for allegedly setting a chawl tenement on fire at Kharton Road. Police said nine family members at the labour camp had a miraculous escape early on Tuesday morning.
Police said Dharun-Ritesh Mehrol came with a cloth ball soaked in kerosene and flung it through the exhaust fan hole but the fire was doused in the nick of time as neighbours alerted the fire brigade. Seeing the house on fire, the inmates ran out in time.
Mehrol has been arrested and booked under sections 436 of Indian Penal Code following a complaint by Narendra Barnwal (35).
Police said Mehrol was infatuated with a 22-year-old girl from Wadala. A relative of the girl said she often visited her aunt at Kharton Road and the boy was stalking her for few years. He had even allegedly visited her at Wadala and waylaid her few times but she ignored it.
He had kept her photo on WhatsApp and her family often had altercations with him, police said. An NC too was registered at Wadala.
A further probe is on by Thane Nagar police and statements are being recorded as various angles are coming up. Police said the accused was earlier arrested for the rape of a minor girl.
Seeing the house on fire, the chawl inmates ran out in time.
