BELAGAVI: CCTV footage that emerged a few days after the fire tragedy, in which six members of a family died in their shed at Chavat Galli in the heart of Belagavi city, has given a new twist to the fatal disaster.
Speaking to the TNIE, Belagavi Police Commissioner Prakash Nikkam did not disclose details of the possible twist in the case but said the police got vital leads during the probe and would crack the case within the next few days.
The police have gone deeper to find the exact cause of the deaths with the help of several CCTV cameras in parts of Chavat Galli surrounding the shed where the six-member Damone family perished in the blaze.
In the CCTV footage, which has gone viral on social media sites, an unidentified man is seen walking suspiciously towards the shed, which was gutted in the fire, with a bucket in hand merely two minutes before the fire broke out at 2 am on September 15. The footage has prompted the police to investigate whether the incident could have been a deliberate act.
According to the footage, the unidentified man entered the vicinity of Gajanan Damone’s shed at around 1.58 am on September 15, carrying a bucket. About two minutes later, at around 2 am, he was seen running away without the bucket in his hand.
The house reportedly caught fire within two minutes of the man’s departure. The CCTV footage has raised several questions for investigators, such as what the man did during the two minutes he was near the house, what was inside the bucket he was carrying, and why he left it behind.
The Market police, who had initially registered the case as an accidental fire suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, have now intensified their investigation based on the CCTV footage. Sources said the police are examining whether the unidentified man had any role in the deaths of the six family members and are making efforts to identify and trace him. The footage and other available evidence are being analysed to ascertain whether the fire was accidental or deliberately set.
According to sources, the police are believed to have obtained more information about the unidentified man in the footage with the help of many other CCTV cameras in the vicinity.
