Konni: A youth who allegedly tried to kill a young woman by dousing her with petrol and sparking a fire has been arrested by the police. Rajesh Jayan (28) of Vadakkethil, Vaikkathu at Kulasekharapati in Pathanamthitta attempted the gruesome act after the woman spurned his advances.

According to the police, the youth reached the girl’s house around 7:30pm on Thursday after she did not respond to his phone calls. At the compound of the young woman’s house, Rajesh picked up a fight with the girl’s relatives and a fierce argument followed. He also used curse words at the girl and her relatives, said the police.

At the height of the argument, the youth poured petrol on the girl from a bottle he was carrying and tried to start a fire with a lighter. However, the girl’s father impulsively threw the lighter away from Rajesh’s hand and saved his daughter.

The young woman’s family subsequently filed a complaint with the police on Friday morning and following a search, Rajesh was arrested in the evening.