In a dramatic escalation of a family financial dispute, a 45-year-old man allegedly set his relative’s house on fire in Vivek Nagar, Bengaluru, on Tuesday evening. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but parts of the home suffered considerable damage.
The accused, Subramani, a resident of Ejipura, was caught on CCTV footage pouring petrol and igniting the blaze. He is said to have targeted the ground floor of the building where the victim’s family resides.
According to the police complaint lodged by Sathish Kumar (41), a security training manager at a Whitefield-based firm, the incident occurred around 5:20 PM on July 1. Sathish lives in a three-storey house with his mother Venkataramani, uncles, and brothers.
The alleged motive? A simmering financial disagreement dating back eight years. Sathish’s niece, Parvati, had borrowed ₹5 lakh from Venkataramani for her daughter Mahalakshmi’s wedding. Recently, when the elderly woman demanded repayment, Parvati and Mahalakshmi reportedly reacted with verbal abuse.
On June 30, Mahalakshmi called Sathish warning him: “Ask your mother and brother Ravi to stop demanding the money.” She also issued threats, according to Sathish.
Concerned, Sathish and his family visited Parvati’s home that evening, urging a resolution. But the next day, the situation took a dangerous turn — someone set fire to their home while Sathish’s brother was sleeping inside. Neighbours quickly intervened to control the flames.
Police are investigating the attempted arson and potential intent to harm.