Bhubaneswar: Miscreants set fire to two new buses parked near Swapneswar Temple in Balijhudi area of Rourkela late on Christmas night.
According to sources, the miscreants allegedly smashed the window panes of both vehicles before setting fire to the curtains inside, causing the flames to spread rapidly. One bus was completely destroyed in the fire, while the second suffered significant damage to its front section.
The buses, which Anaya Kumar Malik had purchased from Jeypore about 15 days ago, were awaiting operational permits.
Local residents spotted the blaze around midnight and promptly alerted the owner. Malik, along with family members, rushed to the scene and notified the Police Control Room (PCR), Tangarpali police station, and fire services. Fire tenders arrived swiftly and managed to douse the flames, preventing total loss of the partially damaged bus.
Meanwhile, police have launched a probe to ascertain the motive behind the arson and are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the perpetrators. The cost of these buses is estimated to be around Rs 2 crore.
The owner of the buses denied any known rivalry or dispute that could have led to the attack.
