Karnataka cop who set Erode house on fire rescued; suicide bid suspected

COIMBATORE: An IPS officer from Karnataka, who set fire to his house after locking himself inside in a suicide bid, was rescued by police in Erode on Wednesday.

Police said M Arun Rangaraj (38), the Superintendent of Police (Internal Security Division in Karnataka) had visited his native Kullampalayam village in Gobichettipalayam three days ago. He was accompanied by his paramour Sujatha, a sub-inspector from Karnataka, who was married to another cop and had a son and daughter.

Following a quarrel between them, Arun Rangaraj assaulted and forced her to leave the house. After that, he set fire to the house and stayed inside, in an apparent bid to end his life.

Some neighbours, shocked on seeing the fire and heavy smoke billowing out from the house, had informed the firefighters, who rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

Several household valuables like a television, cot, and bed worth several lakhs got gutted, the police said.

When a cop, from the team led by Gobichettipalayam Inspector Kamaraj, attempted to rescue Arun Rangaraj, he assaulted him causing minor injuries.

The police personnel then overpowered and took him to the police station for an inquiry.

A few months ago, Arun Rangaraj was booked under 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act by Gobichettipalayam police based on a complaint by Sujatha.