A former employee of a textile unit in Surat has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to cloth bales outside his former employer’s shop following a dispute over ₹10,000 in unpaid dues.

Police said Vinod Pandit Savle, 33, was allegedly captured on CCTV setting fire to bales and parcels of cloth outside Shop No. 639 at Shyam Sangini Textile Market on the intervening night of September 8 and 9.

The fire continued for nearly 14 hours and gutted the sixth floor of the textile market. It also damaged the fifth floor, where large quantities of fabric and packing material helped the flames spread rapidly.

According to police, Savle had worked as an accountant at the shop for around three months after joining in April 2026. He left the job in June.

Police said Savle allegedly believed that his former employer still owed him ₹10,000 despite repeated reminders over the phone. The blaze reportedly destroyed 14 shops and caused an estimated ₹24 crore in property and material damage.

The incident was initially suspected to be accidental. CCTV footage later became part of the police investigation, leading to Savle’s arrest.