Three unidentified men allegedly set a shop ablaze in the Mahadevnagar area of Manjari on the outskirts of Pune in the early hours of Monday, with the entire incident captured on CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity, police said, reported NDTV.
The incident took place at around 3:15 a.m. when the three accused allegedly arrived at the spot on a two-wheeler. They are alleged to have forced open the shop's shutter before pouring petrol inside the premises and on the shutter itself, setting it on fire, according to police.
Footage from CCTV cameras in the area showed the men carrying out the act before fleeing the scene.
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Two of the three accused got off the motorcycle and forced open the shop's shutter as seen in the footage, while the third stayed back, keeping the bike running as a getaway vehicle.
One of the two then moved a short distance away, after seconds the other one set the shop ablaze and fled the spot along with his accomplice, joining the third man waiting on the motorcycle before all three sped away.
The blaze caused panic among nearby residents and shopkeepers before it was brought under control.
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The shopkeeper is estimated to have suffered a loss of around Rs 4-5 lakh in the fire, police said, as per PTI.
Manjari Police Station has registered a case in connection with the incident, invoking relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Section 326, which deals with mischief by fire or explosive substance causing damage to property.
The identity and motive of the three accused remain unknown, and police are examining the CCTV footage to trace the men and the two-wheeler used in the attack.
Manjari Police are currently conducting a search for the three unidentified accused, and further investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities have not yet indicated a possible motive behind the attack.
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