Woman burnt alive in house fire in Jajpur

Kendrapada: A 75-year-old woman was burnt alive and three thatched houses were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Jajpur district's Barapada village late Thursday night.
The victim, identified as Rashmi Khatua, was trapped inside her house when the blaze erupted. Her grandson, Ashok Khatua (25), sustained burn injuries while attempting to rescue her. "He is currently receiving treatment at the Jajpur district headquarters hospital," said Ranjit Mohanty, inspector in-charge of Panikoili police station.
"The intensity of the blaze was so high that we could only watch helplessly as the houses burned," said Ajit Khatua, a villager.
The fire, which reportedly started in one corner of a house, quickly spread to neighbouring structures. While the exact cause remains under investigation, preliminary reports suggest a possible short-circuit may have triggered the blaze.
Property worth approximately Rs 10 lakh was destroyed in the fire, including furniture, brass and aluminium utensils, and other valuable items. Local authorities, including the tehsildar and police officers, visited the site on Friday morning to assess the damage and initiate relief measures.