Cops probe truck fire

Srinagar, April 22

The police on Monday launched investigation into an incident of fire in a truck carrying scrap material in the Qazigund area of south Kashmir following reports claiming that a large amount of cash was being transported in the vehicle to the poll-bound Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency.

Cops said some burnt notes were found near the incident site and ash samples from the gutted truck had been sent for forensic tests to find the exact nature of the perished items.

The incident took place a day before Anantnag district of the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency votes on Tuesday.

The constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 Assembly segments and the polls are being held in three phases due to security reasons.

While Anantnag district will go to the polls on Tuesday, voting in Kulgam district will be on April 29. Pulwama and Shopian districts will go to polls on May 6.

“A truck carrying scrap from Srinagar to Jammu caught fire at Qazigund in Anantnag district due to unknown reasons and most of the scrap turned into ash,” a policeman said.

However, there were reports that some currency notes were also destroyed in the blaze, he added.

“Some burnt notes were found near the incident site,” a police spokesman said. The police also found some money with the driver and the conductor of the truck, but it was not a huge amount, the official said.

“The matter is being investigated and we will come to know the exact nature of the substance that perished in the fire only after the forensic report is received,” he said.

PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting from Anantnag, demanded a probe into the incident. — PTI