They wanted to set fire to a bar, but torched nearby store

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The South division police have arrested two men for reportedly setting fire to a condiments shop on the Vasanthapura Main Road.

The two friends had gone to a bar next to the condiments shop and under the influence of alcohol they destroyed a wash basin. The bar staff forced them to pay for the damages.

Feeling humiliated, they swore revenge. They returned with a can of petrol, but they were so drunk that they mistook the condiment store for the bar and set fire to it!

The two arrested have been identified as Mounesh Karihole, 27, of Nagarabhavi and Mounesh Sannagowdar, 26, of Kashinagar in Yelachenahalli. Both hail from Devadurga taluk of Raichur district. Karihole works as a cab driver, while Sannagowdar is a construction worker.

The shop - Parameshwara Condiments - was set on fire between 1.20 am and 1.30 am on Thursday and its owner H Revanna Siddappa, 24, filed a police complaint later in the day. The shop is located next to the Kubera bar, which the accused intended to set fire.

Based on Siddappa’s complaint, the KS Layout police have registered a case of mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage under section 435 of the Indian Penal Code.

The police went through the CCTV footage of the Kubera bar which clearly showed the faces of the two accused. The bar employees immediately identified the accused duo.

“The two have stated that their main intention was to threaten the bar cashier and the waiters. Since they were not in their senses, they mistook the condiments store to bar and set it on fire. Luckily nobody has been injured in the incident. No property loss was reported because of the fire. Only the front portion of the shop was burnt,” said a police officer. After they were identified based on the CCTV footage, the police through local intelligence nabbed them.

Further investigations are on.