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Kandri (Kanhan): A major fire broke out in a 150-acre farm coming under Parshioni Mauda Tehsil and destroyed about 70-80 acre of standing wheat crop worth lakhs. A motorcycle parked nearby was also destroyed in the fire. Fire tenders dispatched from Ramtek and Kamptee brought the fire under control after efforts of 5-6 hours. However, villagers alleged that the fire tenders reached the spot very late causing the fire to spread uncontrollably.
According to information, one of the farmers had ignited a small fire to burn wastage around 12 noon on Tuesday. However, strong winds caused the fire spread to adjoining farm rapidly and soon the standing crop of wheat came under the grip of rising flames. Some other farmers noticed the fire and informed the concerned farmers in the village. Dozens of farmers rushed to their farm and tried to douse the fire with whatever means available to them. But the fire assumed monstrous form and destroyed the standing wheat crop within minutes in front of eyes of the shaken farmers. Loss to many farmers was put at lakhs of rupees.
Kanhan PSI Shendge and his team reached the spot along with fire tenders of Kamptee Fire Brigade at 2.30 pm. Similarly, fire tenders from Ramtek arrived at the scene around 3 pm. The police took their own time and showed their faces at about 4.15 pm.
The apathetic attitude of police and local authorities was strongly protested by the farmers whose crop was destroyed in the fire.
