E-Paper
Ludhiana: Man sets fire to garment section of grocery store, none hurt
The incident, which was captured on CCTV cameras, led to the registration of an FIR by the Focal Point police against the unidentified accused
An unidentified man allegedly set fire to the garment section of Smart Bazaar, a grocery retail chain near Veer Palace on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road, while customers and staff were present inside the store. A major tragedy was averted as employees quickly doused the flames using fire extinguishers.
The incident, which was captured on CCTV cameras, led to the registration of an FIR by the Focal Point police against the unidentified accused.
The FIR was lodged following a complaint by Ricky Guleria, a resident of village Malakpur and manager at the Smart Bazaar outlet. In his statement, Guleria said that on March 16, staff members alerted him about a fire in the garment section. The employees acted promptly and managed to bring the situation under control.
According to the complaint, clothes kept on three racks were gutted in the fire, resulting in a loss of around ₹50,000. Upon examining CCTV footage, the staff noticed a man deliberately setting the racks on fire before fleeing the spot.
The police were immediately informed and a complaint was filed.
Assistant sub-inspector Rupinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said the police are analysing CCTV footage from the premises and nearby areas to identify the accused.
He added that the exact spot where the fire was set appears to be a blind spot in the store’s camera coverage, and more footage has been sought from the management.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 327(2), 324(4), and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for offences related to arson, damage to property, and acts endangering human life.
Police suspect that the incident may be linked to personal rivalry, though the motive will be established after the accused is identified and arrested.
