10-year-old booked for trying to light brand new car on fire in Vakola
Screengrab from the CCTV footage
Vakola police have booked a 10-year-old kid for setting the cover of a brand new car on fire.
The incident allegedly took place on October 5 near Niron Hospital in Vakola, Santacruz East, but the CCTV footage of the same came to light earlier this week.
In the video, the kid can be seen approaching the car and lighting the rear side of the cover with a matchstick. After lighting the cover, he walks away from the vehicle.
However, the fire soon douses off on its own. The kid then comes back and places a polythene bag under the cover and tries to light it again. This time, the cover catches fire and the flames soon spread to the rear end of the vehicle.
The kid walks away from the vehicle once again and continues to play with his friends in the vicinity.
Valerian Dsouza, the owner of the four-wheeler, filed a complaint with the Vakola police following the incident.
Police are currently investigating if the child was acting mischievously on his own or whether he was doing it at someone’s behest.
While speaking to Mid-Day, Dsouza said, “I had purchased the car in the first week of October. I park it near my house and cover it when I’m not using it. The CCTV captured a child coming and then setting the car cover on fire, which later spread and damaged the entire rear end of the car. A worker near my house alerted me and I doused the fire before the petrol tank could catch fire. Had that happened, the car would have exploded.”
“I have shifted the car to a garage and it is being repaired. I don’t exactly know why the child did it. The police are investigating the matter,” he added.
An official with Vakola police station confirmed that the kid has been booked for damaging the vehicle. However, since he is a juvenile, he has not been arrested.
Further investigation is underway.
Partial CCTV Footage:
