There was a wedding at the house of Charan Devi Sada in the village. Her son Indrajit along with the wedding party from the village had gone to the adjoining village of Bhagawatpur to the bride´s house where the marriage was to be solemnized. [break]
She had decorated her home and was waiting to welcome her new daughter-in law. However, before her son, new daughter-in-law and the wedding party could arrive, the whole village along with her five huts were reduced to a cinder.
According to her, the village turned into ashes as there were no male members in the community to control and douse the fire. "I was busy making preparations and was looking forward to welcoming the daughter-in-law. But, within two hours, the whole village was reduced to a cinder right before my eyes," a distressed Sada said adding, "Now, without home, where shall I take in my new daughter-in-law?"
Gangaya Sada, a local, informed that the fire had spread after one of the neighbors lit the fire in the front yard to cook food. The musahar community, which was reveling in the marriage festivity, is in deep shock after the incident.
According to police, the fire that broke out at 11 am on Saturday destroyed properties worth more than 5 million rupees. The fire has left them without any food and shelter.
The Musahars are a destitute community living mostly in the Tarai. The fire was brought under control by two fire brigades from Rajbiraj Municipality and Lahan Municipality and members of the Nepal police and Armed Police Force.
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