Inferno guts shops

A Correspondent

TANGLA, April 1: A ravaging inferno gutted at least 12 shops at Bazaarkhola area in Dimakuchi of Udalguri on Friday night. The fire engulfed the business establishments in no time, damaging properties worth several lakhs. Fire-fighters had a tough time as they battled flames before filly succeeding in dousing the blaze. The reason for the blaze has not been ascertained. Reportedly, property worth nearly Rs 70 lakh was gutted in the flames. The irked locals who have been demanding a fire-station in Dimakuchi for long, also registered their protest on Saturday by staging a sit-in- for the failure in setting up of a fire-station which would have minimized the loss.