American authorities have arrested 22-year-old Indian-origin student Manojh Sai Lella for arson and making terroristic threats against his family in Texas. In a separate incident in Illinois, 28-year-old Abhijit Patel has been charged with murdering his father with a sledgehammer.
American authorities have arrested 22-year-old Manojh Sai Lella, an Indian-origin student, on charges of arson and making terroristic threats against his family. Lella, a senior studying Information Technology at the University of Texas at Dallas, was taken into custody on Monday by the Frisco Police Department, according to a PTI report.
Police responded to Lella’s home after family members reported a mental health episode and alleged threats. He is accused of attempting to set the home on fire several days earlier. Lella faces a first-degree felony for arson with intent to damage a habitat or place of worship and a Class A misdemeanor for terroristic threat against a family or household member. Collin County jail records list a $100,000 bond for the felony and a $3,500 bond for the misdemeanor. Authorities noted there is no evidence of any threat to a place of worship.
Court records list Lella as born in 2003 and residing in Frisco. In Texas, a first-degree felony carries a potential sentence of five to 99 years, or life in prison, while a Class A misdemeanor may result in up to one year in jail, pending proof in court. Lella’s LinkedIn profile highlights previous volunteer experience and involvement in student organisations.
In a separate incident, 28-year-old Abhijit Patel, also of Indian origin, was charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his 67-year-old father, Anupam Patel, with a sledgehammer over the Thanksgiving weekend in Schaumburg, Illinois. The attack occurred despite an active order of protection, valid until 2027, which barred Abhijit from contacting his father due to prior threats. However, he had been allowed to continue living at home.
Court documents reveal that on 29 November, Anupam Patel’s wife returned home around 10:30 am after failing to reach her husband or son by phone. Her concern escalated as her husband, who was unemployed and monitored for diabetes, had not made his routine 8 AM glucose check call. Upon entering the home, she found the garage door unusually open and encountered her son, who reportedly told her he had “taken care of Dad” and advised her to check on him.
Emergency responders discovered Anupam Patel unresponsive and covered in blood in his bedroom shortly before 11 am. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from at least two blunt force blows to the head, resulting in a fractured skull and broken nose. A sledgehammer was recovered at the scene.
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