Punjab-origin man in UK admits to starting fire in commercial centre

The blaze in January 2019 had destroyed several shops in Leicester

A Punjab-origin man is due to be sentenced on June 12 after pleading guilty to deliberately starting a fire in a busy commercial centre that destroyed several shops and traumatised people in the east Midlands town of Leicester, the local police said on Friday.

The fire started by Parvinder Singh, 28, became a blaze in the Belgrave Commercial Centre in January 2019. There were people inside the complex but no one was injured. (File Photo for representation)

The fire started by Parvinder Singh, 28, became a blaze in the Belgrave Commercial Centre in January 2019. There were people inside the complex but no one was injured. He pleaded guilty in the Leicester Crown Court.

The police said initial inquiries determined that the fire had been started deliberately and an investigation was launched. CCTV footage showed a man with a bag sat on some crates in the area prior to the fire.

The Leicestershire police said: “The man was then seen to crouch over before standing up and walking off - noticing a flame coming from where he had been as he left. The fire was then seen to ignite on the CCTV and the man left the area”.

The image of the suspect was issued in a public appeal and through leaflets which were handed out in the area asking for information. The inquiries led to Singh being identified as the man in the CCTV, and he was arrested in October last year.