Insurance Fraud Attempt: Man Arrested for Setting Fire to His Own Shop
Kathmandu – A man involved in deliberately setting fire to his own shop with the intention of deceiving an insurance company and claiming compensation has been arrested by the police. Ramesh Sharma Lohar, a 28-year-old from Jagarnathpur Rural Municipality 3 in Parsa District, Madhesh Province, was taken into custody for allegedly setting his shop on fire to claim insurance money.
According to Shyambabu Olia, Superintendent of Police (SP) at the District Police Office Kaski, Lohar set the fire on February 28, and the investigation revealed that he had opened a new shop called IT Hub in Pokhara only a month prior. He insured the shop for 10 million rupees through Shikhar Insurance Company’s Lekhnath branch, though he had not insured another shop he owned in Talchok.
Three days after the fire, Lohar approached Shikhar Insurance to file a claim, stating that he had left his phone charging and, upon returning to the shop, heard a crackling sound before a fire broke out. However, the insurance company became suspicious of the claim, prompting them to ask the police to investigate.
The investigation raised doubts when it was revealed that the shop had been closed for two days, and the fire occurred on the third day, despite the presence of two workers who were on leave when the incident happened. The police, along with the insurance company, found the circumstances suspicious, leading them to closely monitor the situation.
Lohar had filed a complaint with the police, claiming a loss of 9.4 million rupees. The police were initially concerned by the size of the damage claim. SP Olia confirmed that the investigation into the case is ongoing, and further inquiries will be made to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the fire and the attempted insurance fraud.
The District Court Kaski has extended the deadline for further investigation by an additional 7 days.