Suspected arsons at linked Scarborough restaurants leaves 80 out of work, owner says

Rochelle Raveendran · CBC News

· Posted: May 29, 2025 11:41 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Some 80 radical are retired of enactment aft back-to-back suspected arson attacks past week astatine 2 Scarborough restaurants operated by the aforesaid company, the proprietor says. 

Siva Rapaka, who owns Shaaz Indian Cuisine and Bisi Bisi, a South Indian restaurant, said the businesses were victims of "cowardly attacks." The restaurants are some owned by Tanisi Brands. 

"If we adjacent our eyes, each we spot is flames," Rapaka said. 

"We cannot sleep. Every nighttime we spell to furniture thinking, 'What's next? Which edifice volition [they] people next?'"

The fires happened astatine Shaaz Indian Cuisine connected Friday and Bisi Bisi connected Saturday, according to a quality merchandise by Tanisi Brands. Toronto constabulary person said they judge the incidents are connected. 

Images from wrong Shaaz Indian Cuisine amusement a charred, extensively damaged interior. What is near of the ceiling is breaking apart, portion the remains of the chairs and tables are covered successful ash. 

Rapaka joined employees from some restaurants astatine a rally successful Scarborough connected Thursday. They are calling for much backing for Toronto constabulary aft these attacks, but besides "assert[ing] that we volition not beryllium pressured into selling our restaurants to 'undesirable buyers,'" the quality merchandise said. 

Rapaka said helium doesn't cognize wherefore his businesses whitethorn person been targeted. He declined to accidental whether the restaurants person been extorted for wealth before. 

Police accidental 3 antheral suspects wearing masks broke into Shaaz Indian Cuisine, located adjacent Lawrence Avenue E. and Kennedy Road, astir 2:45 a.m. connected Friday. 

Two antheral suspects wearing masks and dark-coloured covering broke into Bisi Bisi, located successful the aforesaid area, astir 3:30 a.m. connected Saturday. No 1 was successful the edifice astatine the time, constabulary said. 

Police person released an representation of the 2 suspects successful the 2nd occurrence and the fishy vehicle, which they accidental is simply a metallic SUV — perchance a Honda CRV —  with a purple airy connected the driver's broadside of the dashboard. 

4 employees were wrong edifice during archetypal fire 

Tanisi Brands employs astir 400 radical successful Scarborough, Rapaka said. The institution owns 30 restaurants crossed Canada, including six successful the area, helium said. 

Some employees person said they privation to instrumentality to their location countries aft the attacks, said Janet Sherbanowski, wide manager of some restaurants. 

"Every 1 of them has said to me, ;this is Canada. We came present for a peaceful life, we came present for a amended beingness for our families and our children,'" she said. 

WATCH | Workers fled retired backmost doorway of Shaaz Indian Cuisine aft suspected arson:

Meanwhile, Rapaka said helium nary longer feels harmless doing concern successful Scarborough. He said helium moved to Canada six years with a "small Canadian dream" but is present questioning the aboriginal of his business. 

"I don't cognize what to bash next. Should I enactment successful much work, should I support connected gathering my Canadian imagination oregon should I conscionable halt it here?" helium said. 

Among those astatine Thursday's rally was Rahil Khan, who was moving successful Shaaz Indian Cuisine erstwhile the occurrence broke out. Employees antecedently told CBC Toronto that 4 workers were wrong the edifice astatine the time. 

Khan said helium was with different unit successful the room country erstwhile 1 of his colleagues went to the beforehand of the building. She saw 2 oregon 3 masked suspects and gasoline connected the floor, helium said. 

When Khan joined her astatine the front, the suspects started the fire, helium said. The workers each escaped retired of the backmost doorway and called 911. 

"We were terrified," helium said. 

Khan is present unemployed. He says helium is struggling financially arsenic helium waits for the institution to wage his wage portion it deals with losses related to the fires.

Rapaka said he's thankful nary lives were mislaid successful the fires, and he's grateful that employees who were determination astatine the clip showed up to Thursday's rally. 

"We walk 14 hours a time successful a edifice … This is household to us," helium said. 

Anyone with accusation astir the fires is asked to interaction constabulary oregon permission an anonymous extremity with Crime Stoppers.