Dindoshi hills fire: Police to probe 'high chances' of arson

Considering the "high possibility" that the recent fire in Dindoshi Hills was an act of arson, the probe into the incident has been transferred to the Mumbai police, said a senior fire brigade officer.

- Devashri Bhujbal

The blaze, which took place near Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) on December 29, 2024, was ignited deliberately to kill the vegetation and exploit the land for commercial purposes, feel the activists. The Free Press Journal had reported about the incident in its December 30 edition.

"As per the preliminary investigation, there is a high possibility that the blaze was deliberately ignited. We did not find any traces of cigarette bud or anything else that could lead to an accidental fire," the officer said.

This newspaper had reported that NGO Vanshakti had complained to the forest department, ministry of environment and forest, Mumbai suburban collector, seeking an immediate investigation into the blaze.