By TC News Desk
Agartala, 7th April 2025: A devastating fire broke out at Sonamura Bazaar around midnight on Sunday, gutting five shops and causing an estimated loss of Rs 35 lakh. The incident occurred opposite the Punjab National Bank branch, sending panic through the locality as flames quickly spread from one shop to another.
The blaze was first noticed at a cloth shop owned by Shafiqul Islam. Within moments, the fire engulfed adjacent establishments — Babul Shil’s salon, the stationery store of Rana Majumdar and Haru Shil, and a tea shop belonging to Gopal Dey. Locals rushed to alert authorities, and three fire engines from Sonamura and Melaghar arrived on the scene. It took over two hours of continuous effort to bring the situation under control.
The incident has left the shop owners and their families devastated. “Our entire livelihood was built on these shops. Everything is gone,” said one of the victims, breaking down in tears.
Sonamura Nagar Panchayat Chairperson Sarada Chakraborty and Vice-Chairperson Shahajan Mia visited the site early Monday morning and assured the affected traders of all possible assistance and support.
While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, preliminary suspicions point towards a possible short circuit. However, several locals believe the fire may have started from a garbage pile behind the shops. The area is often frequented by drug addicts during late hours, and it is suspected that a discarded bidi or cigarette could have sparked the blaze.
