M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Feb 26: The Latehar police is awaiting the report of the FSL team in regard to the case of a driver burning alive in his hyva at Phulbasiya coal siding under Baariyatu police station in Latehar district this outgoing week.
SP Latehar Anjani Anjan on being contacted about the case said, “The FSL team has carried out its inspection of the burnt hyva. We are yet to receive it’s report. We will write to FSL to send report on urgent basis.”
SP Anjan further said as per information, the FSL team had also found the fire to to have originated ‘inside’ and not ‘outside’ which meant the fire erupted from within the vehicle and was not caused by any external element, man or material.
Sources said that the police had also suspected that the fire had erupted inside the hyva.
The SP went on to say, “I had inspected the site and had noticed that the driver could not have been attacked by outside sources because of the security apparatus around there. So I had this feeling that the fire erupted from within, nevertheless we got the FSL team to carry out its scientific investigation.”
Again the fire rose from below in the hyva which further corroborates the suspicion of the police that ‘fire started from within the hyva’.
The lower limbs of the ill fated driver of the hyva Roop Lal Mahto were charred more than his upper limbs, which meant the surface fire damaged and crippled him faster than damaging his torso.
When asked of the reason behind the fire, SP Latehar said, “It is believed that to avoid mosquitoes the driver had tried to burn egg cartons as the smoke is said to repel mosquitoes.”
On being asked if any inflammable item like petrol, kerosene or diesel were found the SP said, “None. It is also possible such bottles or cans can’t withstand huge fire of the hyva.”