Bhubaneswar: A shocking incident unfolded at Baruni Bazaar in Kalabuda under Kudanagari Police Station of Kendrapara district, where a vegetable shopkeeper was charred to death in his shop late on Friday night.
The blaze, which gutted the shop, has raised suspicions of foul play. The family members of the deceased, Subas Mallik, alleged that the fire was deliberately set.
Mallik, a resident of Gobindapur village, had closed his shop for the night when the fire broke out. Locals found the shop engulfed in flames, with Mallik trapped inside, already dead. The cause of the fire remains unclear, though a short circuit is suspected.
Family members and locals question the circumstances, pointing out that the shop was locked from outside. They allege a flammable substance may have been used, hinting at a possible grudge behind the incident.
Family members, along with irate locals staged a road blockade demanding the immediate arrest of the accused persons. Traffic was disrupted for quite some time until the police and local administration intervened. Police assured the protesters of strict action against the accused.
Meanwhile, local police with scientific experts reached the spot and started an investigation from various aspects.
