Bangalore, Apr 13 (PTI): Thirteen priests have been arrested in connection with the incident of fire that gutted a bar and restaurant atop a three-storeyed commercial building here, police said today.
According to fire officials, a religious ritual being performed on the terrace of the building in the busy Residency Road was the cause of yesterday's fire. However, there was no casualty.
Mahesh Kumar Tayal, brother of the building owner, who was in-charge of the complex, has also been arrested, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) G Ramesh said.
A case has been registered against the owner, Vijay Kumar Tayal, for violating fire safety norms, he said, adding he was absconding.
The building had not obtained clearance from the fire department and lacked fire safety equipment.
The incident, coming after the February 23 fire tragedy in Carlton Towers, which claimed nine lives and injured many others, triggered panic among the people in the locality.