Man sets woman`s house on fire after dispute over obstructed lane in Borivali

In a shocking incident in Mumbai`s Borivali, a man allegedly set fire to a woman’s house after a dispute over obstructing the lane used by passersby, the officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Bhim Nagar, Lane No. 5 of Gorai area in Borivali West.

According to police sources, the altercation began on March 31 at around 11 pm when the suspect, identified as Vishal Udhamle, was sitting on a chair in the middle of the lane near Sagar Tarang Building, obstructing passersby.

The victim, Laxmi Bontla, a resident of the area, requested him to move the chair, which led to a heated argument between the two. The verbal spat soon escalated into abuse, with Vishal growing furious over the confrontation, sources said.

However, Vishal did not let the matter rest there. In the early hours of April 1, around 2:30 am, he allegedly returned with petrol, sprinkled it on Laxmi’s house, and set it ablaze.

At the time of the incident, Laxmi was not inside at the time, an official said.

The entire act was caught on CCTV cameras installed in the area, which captured Vishal pouring petrol and igniting the fire. Following the incident, Vishal allegedly threatened other residents, warning them of severe consequences if they reported the crime, creating a sense of panic among locals.

Based on Laxmi’s complaint, the police registered a case against Vishal under relevant sections of the BNS Act and has arrested him.

During the interrogation, it was revealed that the accused had come to his in-laws` house and got angry after the woman interrupted and quarrelled with him. He felt insulted at his in-laws` house, and in anger, he committed this act, said an officer from Borivali police.

The accused has been arrested and remanded to police custody, he added further.