A 39-year-old history sheeter, released three days ago from jail, was arrested by the Guindy police on Wednesday, October 25, for hurling petrol bombs in front of the Raj Bhavan in Chennai. The accused has been identified as Vinoth alias Karukka Vinoth. According to reports, irked by the fact that Governor RN Ravi did not assent to his premature release from jail and the Governor’s alleged refusal to release Muslim prisoners, he hurled two petrol bombs in front of the Governor’s residence at Raj Bhavan.

Vinoth, a resident of SM Nagar in Nandanam, was arrested in February 2022 after he allegedly hurled three petrol bombs at Kamalalayam – Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) head office – located in T Nagar. After his arrest, he reportedly told the police that he hurled the bombs to express opposition against the BJP’s stand on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). After a year of incarceration, he was released three days ago. On Wednesday, he threw two bombs at the Raj Bhavan and was then nabbed by the police who were on duty. The police recovered two more petrol bombs from him.

According to reports, Vinoth had allegedly thrown petrol bombs at a government-run TASMAC liquor store in 2015 and in front of the Teynampet police station in 2017. He has at least 14 cases registered against him - four attempt-to-murder cases and 10 other criminal cases.