A devastating fire that tore through the Shyam Sangini Textile Market in the Saroli area of Surat on September 9 was not an accidental disaster, but a calculated act of revenge. Investigating the incident that reduced goods worth Rs 24 crore to ashes, police arrested a former accountant on Monday. The accused has been identified as 33-year-old Vinod Sawale, a resident of Dhule in Maharashtra. During police interrogation, Sawale revealed that he set the market on fire to retaliate against continuous workplace humiliation and an unpaid salary dues balance of just Rs 10,000.
Salary dispute and workplace harassment triggered the crime
According to investigators, Sawale had been working as an accountant at textile trader Hanuman Prasad Jawar's shop since April 2026 on a monthly salary of Rs 30,000. After quitting the job, a pending settlement of Rs 10,000 remained unpaid. Sawale told investigators that during his employment, Jawar and another accountant regularly harassed him and questioned his professional competence. When he demanded his pending salary after leaving, the payment was delayed repeatedly. Consumed by anger over the treatment and humiliation he experienced, Sawale decided to teach his former employer a lesson.
Fuel purchased in plastic bag to ignite the market
Carrying out his plan on September 8, Sawale went to a fuel filling station, bought petrol, and carried it away in a plastic bag. He then walked to his former employer's establishment and ignited the fuel on materials stored right outside the shop. While the suspect claimed he intended to target only his former employer, the flames spread uncontrollably across the commercial complex due to the heavy presence of textiles. The massive fire quickly engulfed 17 shops belonging to four prominent cloth merchants. Hanuman Prasad Jawar alone incurred a direct financial loss of around Rs 6 crore, while high-value fabrics worth Rs 24 crore were incinerated across the affected premises.
CCTV analysis and tracking led to arrest
Immediately following the disaster, Surat police initiated a comprehensive investigation into suspicious movements around the market. Investigators scanned local surveillance recordings and analyzed mobile location tracking data to identify suspects. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dr Karanraj Vaghela stated that investigators identified Sawale as the primary arson suspect through CCTV footage and ground intelligence. Police tracked down Sawale and took him into custody, where he confessed to purchasing the petrol and igniting the merchandise outside Jawar's shop.
Criminal charges filed for property destruction
Surat police have registered an official case against Vinod Sawale under statutory provisions dealing with arson, extensive property damage, and criminal conspiracy. Authorities are proceeding with formal legal steps following his confession. The incident, where an unresolved workplace grievance and a modest payment dispute of Rs 10,000 culminated in multi-crore economic destruction, has sent shockwaves through Surat's commercial trading hub.
