Srinagar: A significant fire erupted mysteriously in the Tulail Gurez area of Bandipora district, in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday evening, resulting in extensive damage to local shops and residential properties.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the blaze devastated over half a dozen commercial and residential buildings. Emergency response teams, including firefighters, are actively working to control the fire, although the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Local reports are circulating that suggest potential involvement of the Indian army, accusing them of starting the fire as a punitive measure against residents who did not support the BJP candidate in the recent assembly elections. It is alleged that the Indian army, along with the BJP and its affiliate, the RSS, invested heavily in supporting their candidate in the Gurez region.
The presence of high-profile leaders such as Indian Defence Minister Raj Nath and RSS/BJP leader Ram Madhav in the area during the election period has also been noted, with accusations that they used their influence and substantial resources to attempt to sway the electoral outcome.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, with further details awaited as the community begins to assess and address the aftermath of this devastating event.