Nagpur: A café in Shivajinagar, under Ambazari police station limits, was allegedly set on fire by a customer and his unidentified accomplice after being denied entry, causing property damage estimated at ₹9 lakh, police said.

The incident occurred at The Barrel Café between around 4 am and 4.30 am on September 6. The complaint was filed by Kamaldip Dadarav Bhitre (42), a café manager and resident of Kharbi.

According to the complaint, the manager had closed the café and left for home. At around 6.45 am, café owner Harish Gawai informed him over the phone that the establishment had caught fire. The manager rushed to the spot and found several items damaged in the blaze.

The fire allegedly destroyed five air-conditioners worth around ₹7.5 lakh, sofa sets worth ₹1 lakh, and wooden tables, chairs and a door valued at approximately ₹50,000. Important documents, lights and other items were also reportedly destroyed, taking the total estimated loss to ₹9 lakh.

While checking CCTV footage from the café, the complainant allegedly saw a customer, Mohanlal Tiwari, who had visited the café to consume liquor, jumping over the gate to enter the premises. The footage allegedly showed him leaving the premises and later returning before allegedly setting the café on fire.

Ambazari police have registered a case against Mohanlal Tiwari and his unidentified accompliceunder relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to mischief and arson.