Eight acres of Chamundi Hill forest damaged in fire

An estimated eight acres of forest area atop Chamundi Hill was damaged in fire that erupted on Sunday. The fire which was noticed at around 11.30 am off a stretch of road leading to Uttanahalli from the hill, was finally put down after several hours.

DCF (Mysore circle) D S Gaonkar who supervised the operation told Deccan Herald that as many as 100 men including the forest watchers, guards, labourers, and  trainees from Yelwal were put on the exercise.

The beating method (making a broom of leaves) was deployed to combat the fire from spreading further. Initially, it was a challenging task as the area is grassy and rocky, dotted by bushes. The growth of lantana in the particular region fuelled the fire further. Initially one fire tender was summoned from Saraswatipuram, later joined by another tender. The officer said, the fire lines in the area also helped in combating the ravaging fire. The reason behind the incident is suspected to be pranks by miscreants.

In two other incidents, fire destroyed cushion and bedding materials at a shop on Dewan’s road in the city. The cause of the fire is suspected to be short circuit. In the third incident, a car driver had a miraculous escape after fire erupted inside the vehicle, on Hunsur road. Fortunately no casualties was reported.

Three rescued

South police rescued three women including two teenagers who were forced into sex in a car at APMC Yard in Bandipalya on Sunday. A pimp has been arrested in this regard. Acting on a tip off a police team led by DySP (South) Srihari Bargur swooped on a car parked in ‘A’ block of the market around 7 pm.