Kushinagar (UP), March 3 A man has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to two vehicles belonging to an Uttar Pradesh government official after he was apparently enraged over his girlfriend's employment as a cook at the official's residence here, police said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Golu Yadav, was sent to jail after being produced in court, they said.
According to investigators, Yadav was in a relationship with a young woman employed as a cook by Block Development Officer (BDO) Ram Khelawan Seth.
Police said Yadav objected to her working at the officer's home and grew increasingly resentful, particularly when she was occasionally required to stay late for work-related duties.
Late on last Thursday, he allegedly siphoned petrol from his motorcycle, went to the officer's rented accommodation in Rampur Khurd village and poured fuel over two vehicles -- one government-issued and one privately owned -- parked outside, before setting them ablaze.
The officer, who was temporarily staying at a rented place while his official residence was undergoing renovation, awoke around midnight and found the vehicles engulfed in flames. Local residents helped extinguish the fire, but both cars were completely destroyed, police said.
Police registered a case against unidentified persons after recovering an empty bottle smelling of petrol from the spot.
Station House Officer Chandra Bhushan Prajapati said during investigation, police examined call detail records (CDR) of the phone of a young woman who worked as a cook at the BDO's residence.
Suspicion fell on one Golu Yadav, a resident of Rampur Khurd. After being detained, he initially tried to mislead investigators, but later confessed after being confronted with evidence, the SHO said.
During questioning, the accused revealed that he was in a relationship with the cook and was upset over her continued employment at the BDO's residence despite his objections.
"He said he did not approve of the fact that the BDO would sometimes ask her to stay back at night at his residence for work. This angered him," Prajapati said.
BDO Ram Khelawan Seth is originally from Kathiraon village in Varanasi district and is currently posted as BDO in Nebua Naurangia block of Kushinagar.
Further legal proceedings are underway, police said.