Two chefs held for setting Nagpur pub on fire after gutkha-service row

A fire that broke out after midnight at Barrel Cafe pub in Nagpur's Ambazari area shook the city. The pub, located on Gokulpeth Road and popular among young people for its music and parties, caught fire around 4 am. Police say there was no larger criminal conspiracy behind the incident, but that it stemmed from anger over a minor argument at the pub.

Ambazari police station investigated the case and arrested two people in connection with the incident. The accused set the pub on fire after being stopped from carrying gutkha inside and after a dispute over service. Police examined CCTV footage from nearby cameras and traced the main accused with the help of a vehicle number. The main accused has been identified as Manmohan alias Nikhil Budhsagar Tiwari, 31, a resident of Khamla. He was arrested along with Shubham Shrikrishna Vishwakarma, 26, a resident of Shastrinagar.

The police investigation found that Manmohan is a trained chef by profession who has worked at major hotels abroad. He currently runs his own restaurant in the Khamla area. The second accused, Shubham, also works as a chef at a hotel in the city. The incident took place on the night of September 5, when Manmohan arrived at Barrel Cafe pub. During checking at the pub's gate, staff stopped him from carrying Rajnigandha gutkha inside. This led to a heated argument between Manmohan and the pub's staff over the entry fee, service and the quality of alcohol.

Angered by the insult, Manmohan left the pub and went straight to Shastrinagar, where he picked up his friend Shubham. The two decided to teach the pub a lesson and reached outside Barrel Cafe on a motorcycle around 4 am. They drained petrol from the bike's fuel tank, sprinkled it inside the pub, set it on fire and fled the scene. The fire spread so quickly that the air conditioner, an expensive sofa and other furniture in the pub were completely reduced to ashes. On receiving information, a fire department team reached the spot and brought the blaze under control.

Police scanned CCTV footage from cameras around the location, which clearly showed the two accused fleeing on the motorcycle after setting the fire. Based on this footage and the vehicle number, police identified and arrested both men. The incident has raised questions about security arrangements at pubs and restaurants in the city, and the growing trend of people turning violent over minor disputes.