TN police release video footage on petrol bomb case, refute Raj Bhavan's claims

Visuals showed police personnel including those in plainclothes cautiously approaching him from all sides to prevent him from hurling petrol bombs and eventually overpowering him.

Chennai: Armed with CCTV footage, Tamil Nadu Police on Friday refuted Raj Bhavan’s version of events regarding Wednesday’s petrol bomb attack outside the Governor’s mansion in the heart of the city by maintaining that there was only one assailant, no damage to any property, and that the petrol bomb went off near the barricade placed outside the main gate.

Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore and other senior police officers held a press conference to present the “exact details” of the incident, which has become the latest flashpoint between the DMK dispensation and Governor R N Ravi.

Rathore said there was only one assailant, who has been identified as ‘Karukka’ Vinoth, a habitual offender, and displayed CCTV footage of him walking on the road, carrying a bag. The Raj Bhavan had in its complaint suggested that there was a possibility of involvement of more than one person in the incident.

“He threw the bottle filled with petrol which landed just outside the barricade close to the main gate. He was overpowered by our police personnel. There was no damage to the gate,” the Commissioner said, denying Raj Bhavan’s claim that the main gate was severely damaged.

He also said there was no explosion. “The police stopped him about 30 meters from the main gate of Raj Bhavan and detained him before he could get close to the gate,” Rathore said.

He also said the police registered a complaint on its own and even before a formal one was received from the Raj Bhavan at 10 pm on Wednesday. The police also released CCTV footage to back their claims.