Indian American man charged with firebombing Wisconsin building
Roychowdhury was nabbed after a manhunt on the basis of DNA found on an unfinished burrito
An Indian American man from Wisconsin has been arrested on a charge related to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building after a manhunt on the basis of DNA found on an unfinished burrito.
Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, who was arrested on March 28 in Boston, is charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive, according to court documents.
Roychowdhury allegedly used an incendiary device in violation of federal law in connection with his efforts to terrorize and intimidate a private organization.
Read: 2 people shot at Sikh gurdwara in Sacramento (March 27, 2023)
According to the complaint, on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 am, law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison, Wisconsin.
Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black.
The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant.
Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food.
Read: Madison Man Charged with Firebombing Building (March 28, 2023)
On March 17, 2023, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March 2023, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison, Wisconsin, to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala City, departing this morning. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport.
If convicted, Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
