Bhagalpur: A three-storey house was allegedly set ablaze at Sitarampur village under Sultanganj police station area in Bhagalpur district late Sunday night, destroying household items worth several lakhs. However, no one was injured in the incident.According to a complaint filed by Neeru Devi, a member of the affected family, she and her family were fast asleep when she heard sounds resembling gunshots around 12.30am. “After sensing smoke, we rushed out of the house and saw it on fire. Within minutes, the flames engulfed the entire building,” she said.Neeru alleged that her neighbours—Pankaj Sah, Golu Kumar alias Surya Kumar, Chotu Mandal—and some other antisocial elements set the house on fire due to a personal grudge over throwing garbage and water littering issues.At the time of the incident, her son Abhishek Choudhary was trapped inside a room but narrowly escaped being burnt alive. He was rescued before the fire tenders, aided by local police, managed to douse the blaze.Household articles, including furniture, clothes and electronic appliances, were reduced to ashes. Neeru claimed that items worth several lakhs were destroyed in the fire.She further alleged that the family had an ongoing dispute with neighbors over garbage disposal and water littering issues, and that a complaint had earlier been lodged with the local police station. She demanded strict action against those responsible.Sayan Raja, ASP (trainee) and officer-in-charge of Sultanganj police station, said an FIR has been registered and investigations are underway. “The fire brigade rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control,” he said.
