Man Sets Bank On Fire After Being Denied Loan; Property Worth $22,000 Damaged

A man in India set a bank on fire after his loan application was allegedly rejected.

The bizarre incident took place in a village in the southern state of Karnataka on Saturday night. The man, identified as 33-year-old Wasim Mulla, had applied for a loan with the Canara Bank. However, his loan application was rejected due to low credit scores, the Times of India reported.

Disappointed by the rejection, the man arrived at the bank Saturday night with a can of petrol. He reportedly broke a window of the building, poured petrol inside and set it ablaze.

Nearby residents noticed smoke emanating from the bank, and initially attempted to douse the blaze. When they were not successful, they informed the police and firefighters, who arrived at the scene and doused the fire.

The police confirmed that property worth $22,000 was damaged in the fire, including cash cabin, CCTV system, computers, cash counting machines, furniture and a few documents. However, no case was gutted, The New Indian Express reported.

Meanwhile, following a search, the cops managed to take the accused into custody. He was reportedly trying to run away from the village when he was caught. An investigation was ongoing and charges levied against the man were not known.

In a similar incident in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, a man set an ATM of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) on fire in February 2018, and left behind a 17-page letter, claiming he would kill himself if the media did not broadcast it in the next 24 hours. The police said the man walked into the ATM center around midnight and set the machine on fire using an inflammable substance. Two CCTV cameras were also damaged in the blaze due to which it became harder for the cops to identify the accused. However, CCTV footage from nearby cameras helped identify the accused and catch him. He was charged with "Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage."