Tenant booked for arson, setting two scooters ablaze in Ahmedabad

A 30-year-old man has been booked for arson and criminal intimidation after he allegedly set fire to two parked two-wheelers outside a residential house in Madhupura in Ahmedabad in the early hours of Friday.

The accused, Vasu Jodharamji, a casual labourer from Sanchor taluka in Rajasthan, was living as a tenant on the first floor of the complainant’s house. He has been accused of assaulting the woman landlord, threatening to kill her and her 18-year-old son, and torching her scooter following a personal dispute.

According to Madhupura police, the incident occurred around 1 am on January 9, outside a house located at Marwari’s Chali in Shahpur.

Ramilaben Parshottambhai, 45, stated that she lives with her son, Sunny, 18, and earns a livelihood through odd jobs. She alleged that the accused had been staying as a tenant since 2023 and that tensions arose after she objected to his alleged behaviour and personal conduct.

Police said that on the night of the incident, the accused came to the house and demanded entry. When the complainant refused to open the door, he allegedly threatened to kill her and her son and warned that he would burn her scooter parked outside the house.

Shortly thereafter, the complainant noticed flames outside. The accused allegedly had poured a flammable liquid from a plastic bottle onto the complainant’s Suzuki Access 125 scooter and set it on fire. Due to the blaze, a second scooter, a Honda Activa belonging to Kishore Gulabhai (another tenant), parked next to it, also caught fire.

Residents managed to douse the flames using water. However, both two-wheelers sustained damage. Ramilaben alleged that the accused had earlier threatened her and her son with dire consequences and reiterated the threats before committing arson. The accused reportedly fled the spot after setting the vehicles on fire.

Based on the complaint, Madhupura police registered a case in the matter, and efforts are on to trace and arrest the accused.