Gopinath, a lawyer and president of Hindu Munnetra Kazhakam, an Hindu outfit, was going from Tirupur to Vellakoil along with his friend in a car when the incident occurred, police said.
As the car was stopped at Mudalipalayam and the driver was getting down to purchase a water bottle, two persons riding a motorcycle and wearing helmets, hurled a petrol bomb at the car, slightly damaging the vehicle.
Though Gopinath and his friend tried to nab the duo, they managed to escape, police said.