Auto driver set on fire, homeless graduate arrested

Coimbatore: The Peelamedu police arrested a 22-year-old man, who poured petrol on a 45-year-old goods autorickshaw driver and set him ablaze on Sunday.
Police identified the victim as R Ravi of Gandhi Nagar at Veeriyampalayam, and the accused as V Poomalairaja, a native of Ramachandrapuram in Virudhunagar district.
Poomalairaja, a BSc Physics graduate from a college in Tuticorin district, had moved to Coimbatore city a few months ago after he failed to land a job, police said. “He worked as a construction labourer and used to sleep on the pavement on Kalapatti Road, at Nehru Nagar. Autorickshaw drivers in the locality used to poke fun at him for working as a construction labourer, despite being a graduate. Angered by the derisive comments, he decided to take revenge on them,” a police officer said.
On Sunday morning, Poomalairaja bought petrol in a bottle from a petrol bunk and reached the autorickshaw stand. “Ravi was sitting in vehicle cabin and speaking to auto driver T Manikandan, 49, of Nehru Nagar. Poomalairaja poured petrol on the duo and set them on fire with a cigarette lighter,” the officer said.
Though Poomalairaja tried to escape, other autorickshaw drivers caught him and handed him over to police.
Ravi, who sustained 80% burn injuries, died without responding to treatment at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Manikandan suffered 10% burn injuries and is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Poomalairaja was a ganja addict, the officer added. He was remanded in judicial custody on Monday morning.