Youth Arrested for Setting Gas Lorry on Fire in Thalayolaparambu

Kottayam: A youth climbed onto a parked gas tanker lorry and set it on fire. He punctured a gas cylinder using an iron rod and then ignited it. The incident took place around midnight at Vettikkattumukku in Thalayolaparambu.

Police said the youth taken into custody appears to have mental health issues. The driver, a resident of Vettikkattumukku, usually parks the gas vehicle on the roadside before going home for the night. Last night, shortly after the driver left, the youth broke into the vehicle, used the rod he was carrying to puncture a gas cylinder, and then set it ablaze. He reportedly got onto the lorry and set the fire around midnight.

Auto drivers who were present at the spot immediately caught the youth and prevented a major disaster. The lorry was fully loaded with gas cylinders. As the fire spread, a unit of the Fire Force from Kaduthuruthy arrived and brought the blaze under control.