‘I just came to have a peg, I set him on fire when he hurled abuses at me, I didn't do anything else’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Visuals have emerged showing accused Aneesh confessing to the incident that led to the violent clash at Sreevalsam Bar in Vembayam. The video, released by a local online channel, shows him speaking to bar employees after suffering severe burn injuries all over his body. Despite sustaining serious burns to his hands, legs and back, he spoke without any regret.

‘I just came to have a peg. He then abused and slapped me. I immediately went to a petrol pump, bought petrol, came back and set him on fire. He ran away. I don't know whether he was burnt or not. I didn't do anything else. I fell down before that. He slapped me. I don’t know him,’ said Aneesh, who was heavily drunk.

The incident occurred around 9:30 pm on Sunday. Aneesh was slapped by a youth identified as Navas while consuming liquor. Enraged over it, he left the bar, bought petrol, returned, and then set fire on the victims. A security guard who witnessed the incident said Aneesh ran out of the bar engulfed in flames. He sustained more than 80% burn injuries and remains in a critical condition. The six other injured victims are undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital.

Police are also probing whether there was any motive beyond the altercation, as several of the injured reportedly have criminal backgrounds. A magistrate recorded the statements of the injured last night. After collecting the CCTV footage, Venjaramoodu Police registered a murder attempt case against Aneesh.