Kendrapada: In a tragic incident, the owner of a vegetable shop was burnt alive after fire broke out in the outlet located in Kudanagari area of Odisha’s Kendrapada district.
As per preliminary information, the incident took place at Baruni Bazaar in Kalabuda under the jurisdiction of Kudanagari Police Station of the district late on Friday night.
The fire, which gutted the shop, has raised suspicion about possible foul play. The family members of the deceased, identified as Subas Mallik, alleged that someone had deliberately set fire to the shop.
Mallik, a resident of Gobindapur village, was closing the shop when the fire erupted. Locals found the shop engulfed in flames, with Mallik trapped inside.
While electric short circuit was suspected to have triggered the fire, the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.
Alleging foul play, family members and villagers pointed out that the shop was locked from outside when the fire broke out. Some flammable substance was suspected to have been used in the incident, they alleged.
Irate locals and family members staged a road blockade demanding thorough investigation and arrest of the accused persons. Traffic was disrupted for some time before police and local administration intervened and pacified the protesters. Police assured the protesters of strict action against the accused.
A police team along with scientific experts visited the spot and launched an investigation.
