Arson caught on CCTV camera in Gandhinagar; victim targeted for second time in two months

Mysore/Mysuru: A miscreant, wearing a helmet, set fire to two parked motorcycles after dousing them with petrol in Gandhinagar in the wee hours today, leaving one vehicle completely charred and the other extensively damaged.

The incident occurred between 1 am and 1.40 am on Annamma Temple Road, 1st Cross in Gandhinagar. The entire act was captured on a CCTV camera.

The damaged vehicles include a Honda Dream Yuga (KA-45-Q-8327) belonging to Sharath, a delivery executive and a brand new TVS Rider 125 cc bike owned by Manjunath, who works at a readymade garments showroom in Kuvempunagar.

While Sharath’s bike was gutted, Manjunath’s vehicle sustained about 85 percent damage.

Manjunath had recently moved into a leased house on Annamma Temple Road, 1st Cross, along with his wife, son, younger brother Sharath and mother-in-law. He had parked his bike next to Sharath’s in front of the house after returning from work around 11 pm.

Around 1.10 am, the house owner noticed flames outside while having dinner and rushed out to find both bikes on fire. He alerted neighbours and began dousing the flames. With their help, the fire was brought under control, though both vehicles had already been badly damaged.

Second incident

This is the second time Manjunath’s TVS Rider has been set on fire. Before moving to Gandhinagar, he and his family were living in a rented house at Teachers’ Layout on Dr. Rajkumar Road. He had purchased a new TVS Rider 125 and taken delivery on March 19, 2026, on the occasion of Ugadi.

After performing a puja for the new vehicle, he parked it outside his house around 11.30 pm and went indoors. Around 1 am, he noticed the bike on fire; by the time he and his family rushed out, it was completely gutted. He then filed a complaint at Alanahalli Police Station.

Following the incident, the showroom had provided him with a replacement bike a fortnight ago. But, in the early hours today, a miscreant again targeted the vehicle, dousing it with petrol from a two-litre bottle and setting it ablaze.

CCTV evidence

CCTV footage from a nearby house shows a man wearing a helmet arriving at the spot with a bottle of petrol. He is seen peering through the gates of neighbouring houses before approaching the parked vehicles. He then pours petrol on the TVS Rider and sets it on fire, after which the flames quickly spread to the adjacent bike.

Other parked vehicles, including a car and a scooter, were saved after being moved in time. Prompt action by neighbours helped prevent the fire from escalating. Manjunath lodged a complaint with the Narasimharaja (NR) Police, who collected CCTV footage and launched an investigation.