Man held for causing fire at MSEDCL office in Thane

Thane:Police have arrested a 37-year-old man in connection with the recent fire at the electricity department's office in Thane city of Maharashtra, an official said on Friday.

The blaze had erupted during the intervening night of February 6 and 7 in the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited's (MSEDCL) office in Wagle Estate locality. There was no casualty in the incident, police said.

"During the probe, it came to light that the accused, identified as Laxman Rakhunde, had earlier tried to commit theft at an office located close to the MSEDCL's centre in the middle of the night. However, the watchman at the power company's office had nabbed and thrashed him," an official of Wagle Estate police station said.

This had angered the accused and he wanted to take revenge. Around midnight on Saturday, he collected some waste near the MSEDCL office and burnt it. Later, he threw the burning trash into the office, due to which the furniture and the office records got destroyed, he said.

When the police checked the CCTV footage, it showed a limping man rushing away from the spot after the blaze, he said.

The police launched a search and nabbed the man, the official said, adding that he was arrested under IPC section 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc).