Kundapur: Shop burnt in fire, owners suspect arson

In a suspected case of arson, a roadside shop was completely gutted in a fire mishap late last night under Kundapur Rural Police jurisdictional limits.

The shop was being run by Ambika and her husband and contained groceries, snacks, cold drinks, vegetables, and other items.

At around 10 pm, Abhi, a nearby resident noticed the fire and called the couple to inform them about the incident. Neighbors and passersby tried to douse the fire with water, but most of the goods were destroyed.

Upon inspection, it was reportedly found that the tin sheet at the back of the shop had been lifted, and the fire seemed to have been deliberately set. The losses are estimated to be around Rs 2 lakh, including damage to a refrigerator and various items meant for daily sales.

Three years ago, a nearby shop owner, Sandesh, had allegedly threatened the couple, questioning their courage to set up a shop next to his. On the night of the fire, Sandesh and another person, Shivaprasad, were seen loitering near the shop and reportedly joked about taking cold drinks after the fire was extinguished. The shop owners suspect foul play and have filed a complaint with Kundapur Rural Police.