Tirunelveli police arrest two after petrol bomb attack on memorial

Two men have been arrested following a petrol bomb attack near a memorial for leader Muthuramalinga Thevar in the Urudayan Kudiyiruppu area of Tirunelveli. The incident occurred late on Thursday night, involving a liquor bottle filled with petrol and fitted with a wick that was thrown at the memorial pedestal.

Police identified the suspects as 22-year-old Akashramadurai and 21-year-old Chandanakumar through CCTV footage. Investigations suggest the attack was linked to a long-standing dispute over the use of government-owned land located between two residential communities. While the land is available for public use, neither group has ownership rights, and recent attempts by one group to construct a roof on the site led to objections and police intervention.

The attack has triggered communal tension in the Thachanallur locality. In response to potential protests, police have deployed pickets in the area to maintain order.