Diphu :  Suspected miscreants sparked off fire inside Deopani reserve forest, few kilometers from Bornirja village in Bokajan subdivision yesterday. The massive fire caused extensive damage inside the forest and later spread from the wooded areas to nearby human habitats.    

According to a senior officer of Assam Forest, possibility of natural forest fire in entire Assam is almost zero and the cause of inferno must be handiwork of irresponsible individuals.  Residents of villages who reside in the fringe of the reserve forest and ranch owners prevented the fire from engulfing their settlements.