Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur

Kundapur, Dec 31: A devastating fire that broke out on Monday morning in front of Venkataramana Temple in Kundapura wreaked havoc on several shops, leaving estimated losses of nearly Rs 3 crore, police and shop owners report.

The fire was finally brought under control on Tuesday after a relentless 29-hour operation by the fire brigade, who battled the blaze to prevent further destruction.

Ganesh Nayak, owner of Balaji Provision Store, lodged a complaint detailing the scale of the damage. "The fire has caused losses of approximately Rs 2.96 crore to our shops, including Damodar Provision Store, Janardhana Bhat & Sons, and Madhura Electronics," he said.

Investigators found a cache of firecrackers at Janardhana Bhat & Sons, which also housed a bookshop. The SP’s press release noted that the firecrackers, worth Rs 3,08,252, were being stored illegally. "Although Ganesh Bhat, the licence holder, had renewed his fireworks licence until 2029, it had been cancelled by the district authorities on December 16," the release added.

Police have registered a case regarding the illegal possession and storage of the firecrackers. Authorities say the swift action of the fire brigade prevented the blaze from spreading further into the busy market area, averting even greater losses.