Bhopal: In an incident that has left Madhya Pradesh stunned, an 18-year-old student set a 26-year-old guest teacher at his former school on fire on Monday. The accused, identified as Suryansh Kochar, former student of Excellence School (Utkrisht Vidyalaya) in the Kotwali police station area in Narsinghpur district, allegedly carried out the attack over a personal grudge stemming from a complaint the teacher had made against him.
According to the police, the incident took place around 3:30 PM when the accused went to the teacher's residence carrying a bottle filled with petrol. Without warning, he poured the inflammable liquid on her and set her ablaze before fleeing the scene.
The victim, who sustained 10-15 percent burn injuries, was immediately rushed to the district hospital where she is currently undergoing treatment. Doctors have confirmed that the burns, while serious, are not life-threatening.
The accused and the teacher were known to each other for over two years, with police confirming that Suryansh had developed a one-sided attachment towards her. The student had been expelled from the school where the teacher taught a couple of years ago and was studying in another school. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Manoj Gupta stated that the teacher's decision to report an objectionable comment made by the accused during the school's Independence Day celebrations may have triggered the violent retaliation.
"This is a case of one-sided affection and personal vendetta," SDOP Manoj Gupta said.
"The teacher wore a saree for the school's August 15th program, which the accused commented on inappropriately. She lodged a complaint, which angered him. He then planned and executed this attack. A case under Section 124A and other relevant IPC sections has been registered. Further action will follow after recording the victim's full statement."
The Kotwali police acted swiftly and arrested the accused from village Kalyanpur under the Dongargaon police station area within hours of the incident. He is currently in custody, and a detailed investigation is underway.
