An Indian-American student from the University of Texas at Dallas has been arrested in Collin County. The arrest comes after charges were filed that include arson at a place of worship and making a terroristic threat, The Dallas Express reported.
Who is Manojh Lella? Texas uni student arrested
Frisco police detained 22-year-old Manojh Sai Lella on December 22. He was arrested both on sight and on a local warrant, according to Collin County jail records. Lella is currently facing two charges. A first-degree felony for arson with “intent to damage a habitat or place of worship,” and a “Class A misdemeanour for making a terroristic threat against a family or household member,” according to the Dallas Express.
Court records, reviewed by the US-based outlet, list Lella as a male born in 2003, with a home address in Frisco. The Frisco Police Department is listed as both the arresting agency and the issuing authority for the warrant.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Lella is a senior at the University of Texas at Dallas studying Information Technology. His profile also shows previous records of volunteer work and participation in student organisations. However, no public posts were visible on his account as of Wednesday.
On his LinkedIn profile, Manojh Sai Lella has described himself as a “driven and passionate senior” with a strong foundation in programming languages, Tableau, and Power BI. He also actively sought internship opportunities. Beyond academics, he mentioned his volunteering work, especially as a math and reading tutor at Gideon Math & Reading, where he later took on full teaching responsibilities. He has also been actively involved in student organisations like Business Professionals of America and DECA.
Charges against Manojh Lella
The Frisco Police Department has not commented publicly on the arrest or the allegations. Investigators have also not released details about the incident or the specific place of worship involved.
The bond for the arson charge has been set at $100,000. The bond for the misdemeanour charge is $3,500. Records show that as of Wednesday, Lella has been held in Collin County jail for two days. Court records do not yet list an attorney for Lella, and no court decisions have been made in either case, according to The Dallas Express.
In Texas, a first-degree felony can carry a prison sentence of five to 99 years, or even life. A Class A misdemeanour can carry up to one year in jail. Prosecutors must prove the allegations in court before any sentence is given.