Surat: Police have identified a former textile shop employee as the prime suspect for the Sept 9 arson at Shyam Sangini Textile Market that damaged at least 10 shops and burned for nearly 20 hours. Teams are hunting for the suspect, who is believed to have fled the city with his family.Investigators identified the suspect as Vinod Savle. Police teams visited his residence in Dindoli but found it locked. His family members were also missing. Searches were carried out at his native village, Bhortek in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, but officers said he had not gone there.The blaze broke out on the sixth floor of the textile market and affected at least 10 shops. Officials said timely firefighting prevented the flames from spreading further through the complex, which houses around 150 shops.According to the preliminary investigation, Savle worked at J Fab, a textile shop owned by Hanuman Zavar, until June. He later left the job. Police are yet to establish the circumstances behind his departure.Investigators suspect he may have set fire to textile stock with the intention of causing a loss to the shop owner, though the motive is still under investigation.“The suspect quit his job but the reason for leaving it is not known yet. We are working to nab him,” a police officer said.Another officer said, “The exact reason for lighting the fire is not known and it will be clear once the accused is caught.”Police said a breakthrough came after examining CCTV footage from the market. According to investigators, the video shows a man enter the premises in suspicious circumstances and leaving later. He is believed to have arrived on a motorcycle and was carrying flammable material in his hand.Officers suspect he brought flammable liquid that was used to set the fire to textile stock.
