Mysuru: 35-year-old man held for causing fire in Syed Isaaq's library

Mysuru: The Mysuru police have finally cracked the mystery behind the fire that destroyed the public library, a repository of 11,000 precious books, mostly in Kannada, set up by 62-year-old daily-wage worker Syed Isaaq.

The police have established that the fire was caused by a live matchstick that was thrown into a store located next to the library.

According to police investigation, CCTV footage showed the accused, 35-year-old Syed Nasir, throwing the matchstick. Nasir was allegedly in an inebriated condition when he had lit a beedi and thrown the live matchstick into the sofa repair shop located next to the library.

"The CCTV visuals show that at around 10:15 pm on April 8, Syed Nasir lights a beedi with a matchstick and later throws it away, without putting it out. After he leaves, a small flame is seen burning. In another footage at 2:17 am, the flame is seen getting bigger," said police.

The matchstick landed on an old cushion outside the shop, which caught fire. Syed Nasir had left the spot but returned to see the cushion on fire. He tried to put out the fire with the help of a bystander, Ayazuddin, by pouring sand over the flame.

However, their attempts went in vain as the fire quickly grew and engulfed the library," said the police official statement. Syed Isaaq had created the library in a shed in Rajiv Nagar's Corporation Park near the Amar Masjid.

Syed Nasir has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance). The police further said that there was no personal hatred between Syed Nasir and Syed Issaq and the fire was just an accident.

Syed Issaq had opened the library in January 2011 to provide access to the people in the locality to books. Syed gave a statement expressing his determination to set up a library at the same spot. A crowdfund started to help him re-establish the library has raised Rs 28,98,260.