Kozhikode: The house of a man was gutted in a fire early Saturday morning, following a neighbourhood clash. The incident took place at Vellayil, where VP House, the residence of Faijas, was completely destroyed in a fire that broke out around 6 am. Faijas was in police custody at the time of the incident.

According to fire officials from the Vellayil Fire Station, the 1,000 sq ft tile-roofed house was completely charred, including all furniture and household items. No one was inside the house at the time of the fire.

Faijas had been involved in a violent altercation with a local resident, Shuhaibudheen, on April 16. During the clash, Shuhaib suffered a fracture to his chin and filed a case against Faijas. Both individuals received treatment at the Beach General Hospital, Kozhikode. The FIR accuses Faijas of blocking Shuhaibudheen’s two-wheeler and assaulting him without provocation, resulting in a fracture to his left hand. The case has been registered under Sections 126(2) and 118(2) of the Kerala Police Act.

On Friday night, a group of people reportedly arrived at Faijas’ house and confronted him about the earlier incident. The confrontation turned violent, prompting Faijas, who was alone at home, to call the police. Officers remained at the location until around 5 am and subsequently took Faijas into custody in connection with Shuhaib’s earlier complaint. An hour after the police left, the house caught fire.

Vellayil police have summoned three local residents for questioning in connection with the suspected arson. Sub Inspector Shinod said, “We’ve asked two to three individuals to appear at the station. They were involved in the earlier altercation with Faijas. However, without eyewitness testimony, it’s difficult to take further action. So far, no one is willing to come forward.”

Faijas, who was reportedly living alone, is said to have a history of alcohol abuse and frequent conflicts with neighbours. His wife and children live separately, and his mother stays with his brother. Local residents allege he often created disturbances under the influence of alcohol, and a prior complaint was filed against him for allegedly stabbing a visiting student.