Indian-origin student Manojh Sai Lella arrested in Texas on arson and terror threat charges; bond set, police probe ongoing. Photos: X.
Manojh Sai Lella, a 22-year-old Indian-origin student, has been arrested in the United States on charges of arson and making a terroristic threat against family members, according to official law enforcement records. The accused, a senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, was taken into custody by police in Texas following a complaint lodged by his family members.
According to reports, Lella was pursuing his Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) in information technology from the University of Texas at Dallas. His LinkedIn profile shows that he is proficient in English, Telugu and Spanish.
According to police officials, officers responded to Lella’s residence after receiving a report from his family citing a mental health episode and alleging that he had issued threats.
Authorities stated that Lella is accused of attempting to set the house on fire several days before his arrest. Following the complaint, law enforcement initiated action, leading to his detention.
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Lella has been charged with:
Arson with intent to damage a habitation or place of worship, a first-degree felony, and
Making a terroristic threat against a family or household member, classified as a Class A misdemeanor
Police later clarified that there is no evidence to suggest any threat to a place of worship, despite the wording of the arson charge.
Court documents show that bond has been set at:
$100,000 for the arson charge, and
$3,500 for the misdemeanour charge
Police said that further investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Arrest records state that Manojh Sai Lella was booked on December 22, and that the Collin County Sheriff’s Office acted under an existing arrest warrant while taking him into custody.
According to the records, the Class A misdemeanor charge of “terroristic threat to family/household” indicates that Lella allegedly made threats against family members or others residing in the same household.
The first-degree felony charge of “arson intended to damage habitat/place of worship” reflects allegations that he intended or threatened to set fire to a residential property or religious site.
Reports further stated that Lella had allegedly threatened to burn down his own house.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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