Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 3: A devastating fire incident occurred at Kotranka town in Rajouri district during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, reducing a local spare parts shop to ashes under suspicious circumstances.
The incident has sparked public outcry, with locals staging a protest demanding the establishment of a fire station in the town.
According to shop owner Ajaz Malik, he had locked his shop as usual on Monday evening and returned home. Around 11:00 PM, he received information from some locals that smoke was emanating from his shop. On reaching the site, he, along with local residents, attempted to douse the flames. However, due to the absence of a fire brigade in the area, the fire quickly engulfed the entire shop. The estimated loss of goods and property is around Rs 15 lakhs.
After nearly 1 to 1.5 hours, an Indian Army vehicle arrived at the scene and played a crucial role in preventing the fire from spreading to nearby establishments.
In response to the incident, residents staged a protest on Tuesday by blocking the Kotranka-Rajouri road. The demonstration was led by PDP leader Guftar Chaudhary, who, along with the protesting public, urged the administration to urgently establish a fire station at Kotranka. They highlighted that the town serves as a hub for surrounding villages, many of which have suffered significant fire-related losses in the past due to the lack of timely response mechanisms.
Tehsildar Kotranka, Sahil Ali Shah and Probationary Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sharafat Nawaz, reached the spot to pacify the aggrieved locals. They assured the public that immediate relief to the affected shop owner would be provided under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The residents have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, the District Administration Rajouri, and relevant authorities to address the pressing need for a fire brigade facility in Kotranka to prevent such losses in the future.
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