Petrol bombs hurled outside Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan; one arrested

A Molotov cocktail was lobbed by a man in front of the Raj Bhavan's main gate in Chennai on Wednesday, police said. The man who threw the petrol bomb was immediately overpowered, they said.

Chennai: In a major security scare, a 39-year-old history sheeter, who was released on bail just a few days ago, hurled two petrol bombs in front of the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday afternoon when Governor R N Ravi was inside his office-cum-residence.

‘Karukka’ Vinoth is believed to have hurled the bomb at the Raj Bhavan upset over the Governor not giving his sanction to the anti-NEET bill passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Opposition parties like the AIADMK and BJP grabbed the opportunity to accuse the DMK government of converting TN into a “lawless” state and demanded a detailed inquiry into the incident.

“Raj Bhavan was attacked today afternoon. Miscreants carrying bombs tried to barge in through the main gate. However, alert sentries prevented, and assailants hurled two petrol bombs inside Raj Bhavan and escaped,” the Raj Bhavan said in a post on X. It also added that the main entrance gate was severely damaged though police said there was no damage.

The incident comes at a time the DMK dispensation led by Chief Minister M K Stalin and the Governor are locked in an intense battle over a slew of issues.

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, too condemned the incident, and asked the state government to stop such attacks.

Vinoth, against whom seven cases are registered in various police station, hurled the bomb from the Highway Research Centre on the Sardar Patel Road towards the Raj Bhavan at around 3 pm.

“He came by walking and hurled the bottles (petrol bomb) which landed at the area where barricades are placed just outside Gate no. 1 of Raj Bhavan. No one was injured in the incident and there was no damage,” Prem Anand Sinha, Additional Commissioner of Police (South), Greater Chennai Police, said.

Vinoth, who had a total of four petrol bombs with him, was “immediately overpowered” by the “alert” security personnel posted outside the Raj Bhavan, Sinha added. “He is being questioned and will be produced before a court for remand,” the senior police officer said.

Police said Vinoth is a repeat offender and was arrested twice for hurling petrol bombs at the state BJP headquarters in T. Nagar and at the Teynampet police station in the past. “He came out on bail, and he is believed to be under the influence of alcohol. We are questioning him to know the motive behind his action,” Sinha added.

Police said Vinoth had stated that he hurled bombs at the BJP HQ because of its pro-NEET stand.

A source in the Raj Bhavan told DH that the Governor was inside the Raj Bhavan when the petrol bomb was hurled.

In a letter addressed to Chennai Police Commissioner, the Raj Bhavan said the “brazen attack” is a consequence of the “studied indifference” by the police serious threats to the Governor from several quarters, including from DMK men.

“A Governor cannot work under the shadow of constant threats. Hence, I urge you to take it seriously and do the needful to ensure

proper investigation, due punishment to all the involved persons

including conspirations behind the attacks and proper security to the

Hon'ble Governor,” the Raj Bhavan said in the letter.

T Sengottaiyan, Deputy Secretary to the Governor, also alleged that Ravi has been subjected “sustained vicious attacks” using filthy abuses and wielding threats to his life by leaders and workers of DMK and its allies in their public meetings and through their social media.

“These threats are intended to overawe the Hon'ble Governor and restrain him in discharging his Constitutional duties. However, complaints lodged with police have been inconsequential,” he said.

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sought to know why the DMK government was not interested in maintaining law and order in the state know for its peaceful nature.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said while DMK is busy diverting the attention of people to insignificant matters of interest, criminals have taken the streets. “These continuous attack only leaves one to think that the DMK government is sponsoring these attacks. Thiru M K Stalin will now be preparing for the next diversion, as he always does,” he added.