A Liluah garage fire destroyed two cars and two motorcycles at a vacant house on Monday, with the reported property damage estimated at nearly ₹1 crore. Police detained a domestic worker on Tuesday after CCTV footage allegedly showed her entering the house before the fire.
The incident took place at a residence on Rabindra Sarani in Liluah, Howrah, owned by businessman Asit Kumar Ghosh. Ghosh and his family had left the house to visit a relative during Ashtami, leaving the property unoccupied when the fire broke out.
Four fire engines were deployed to control the blaze. The fire damaged two cars, including a BMW, and two expensive motorcycles kept in the garage. According to police sources cited in the report, the total loss from the incident is estimated at approximately ₹1 crore.
Police began investigating after the family filed a complaint. CCTV footage reportedly showed a woman entering the house while wearing a sari. Further footage from inside the property allegedly showed the same woman coming down the stairs wearing a salwar kameez. The woman was identified as Purnima Das, an older domestic worker who had worked at the house for eight years.
Police allege that Das entered the vacant house using a duplicate key and stole jewellery and cash. Investigators further allege that she poured diesel into the garage and set it on fire while leaving, possibly to destroy evidence. These claims remain allegations as the investigation and questioning continue.
The fire caused concern in the neighbourhood because the house was empty and the source of the blaze was initially unclear. The deployment of four fire engines also indicates the scale of the response required to contain the fire in the residential area. Police detained Das on Tuesday and are questioning her as part of the investigation.
The next steps will depend on the police inquiry, including examination of the CCTV footage, assessment of the reported property loss and investigation into the alleged theft and use of a duplicate key.
