A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: A major fire broke out on Wednesday in a centuries-old banyan tree located in the Deopahar area near the historic Babathan site in Numaligarh, causing extensive damage to the tree. The large tree served as a habitat for rare keelback snakes, other snake species, and various birds. Preliminary reports suggest that the fire may have been caused by someone burning garbage while setting up shops ahead of the upcoming Maha Shivaratri festival. Several keelback snakes are believed to have perished in the incident.
The fire brigade managed to extinguish the blaze, but a significant portion of the tree had already been destroyed. The incident has sparked strong reactions in Numaligarh. The Numaligarh Forest Range Office has initiated an investigation into the matter. Fire brigade vehicles were deployed to bring the fire under control.
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