150 houses gutted with villagers away to cast votes in Nadia dist

Kolkata, Apr 22 (UNI) A devastating fire reduced about 150 hutments to ashes at Bhatgachi village in Nadia district as the villagers were away to cast their votes today.

Official sources here said the fire was believed have generated from a burning stove in one of the hutments. As most of the villagers were away to exercise their electoral rights, there was nobody to control the flame or inform the fire authorities for immediate action.

As a result, backed by strong wind, the fire soon engulfed almost the entire village and destroyed the houses within an hour.

When the villagers returned, they found their houses reduced to ashes.

Later as tension mounted, a large posse of policemen and senior district officials rushed to the village, about 125 km from here, to pacify the agitated villagers, the sources added.

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