Surat textile market fire: Ex-accountant arrested for setting shops ablaze over unpaid Rs 10,000 salary Police in Surat arrested a 33-year-old former accountant, Vinod Sawale, for setting Shyam Sangini Textile Market on fire over an unpaid salary of Rs 10,000. The blaze gutted 17 shops and destroyed fabrics worth Rs 24 crore. 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. What this means for you This incident underlines critical operational lessons regarding workplace disputes and security vulnerabilities in major trading hubs. • In Surat: Commercial complexes and textile trading associations will likely enforce stricter overnight security protocols and staff monitoring. Traders will need to ensure tighter surveillance around corridors where inventory is often kept. • For business owners: Unresolved wage disputes and mistreatment of staff can escalate into catastrophic security risks. Employers must prioritize transparent, prompt final settlements and formal grievance handling. • Market security: Business associations must strictly prohibit leaving combustible stock outside shutters in shared corridors. Upgraded CCTV surveillance and active night guards are essential to prevent targeted arson. • Insurance implications: Affected shopkeepers will now face complex documentation and prolonged insurance claim settlements to recover their losses. Commercial policyholders across hubs must re-verify fire and arson coverage terms. Why this happened The catastrophic blaze was directly triggered by a personal vendetta stemming from workplace harassment and an unpaid wage balance of Rs 10,000. • Direct cause: Vinod Sawale purchased petrol in a plastic bag from a fuel station and ignited the goods stored outside his former employer's textile shop. • Background dispute: Employed since April 2026 at a monthly salary of Rs 30,000, Sawale left his post but was denied his remaining settlement of Rs 10,000 despite repeated requests. • Alleged workplace harassment: Sawale claimed that both the shop owner and another accountant persistently humiliated him and questioned his competence, driving him to seek revenge. • Rapid escalation factors: The presence of dense stacks of flammable textile merchandise in corridors caused the flame to spread rapidly, engulfing 17 shops across the commercial complex. Questions & Answers 1. When and where did the Surat textile market fire take place? The fire occurred on September 9 at the Shyam Sangini Textile Market located in the Saroli area of Surat. 2. Who was arrested by the police for the arson? Surat police arrested 33-year-old Vinod Sawale, a former accountant hailing from Dhule in Maharashtra. 3. Why did the accused set the shop on fire? He started the fire to take revenge after facing repeated workplace humiliation and the non-payment of his pending Rs 10,000 salary. 4. What was the total financial damage caused by the fire? The fire destroyed 17 shops and fabric worth Rs 24 crore, causing a direct loss of approximately Rs 6 crore to his former employer alone. 5. How did the police identify and catch the accused? Investigators tracked down Sawale through surveillance footage analysis, local intelligence, and mobile location data. https://trendkia.com/en/crime/surat-men-bakaya-10-hajara-rupaye-ke-vivada-men-purva-munima-ne-lagai-aga-24-karora-rupaye-ka-kapara-jalakara-khaka-36225 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.