Man held for burning down 60-year-old forest rest house in Himachal's Sirmaur

Nahan (HP), Jul 5 (PTI) A man was arrested for allegedly setting fire to the 60-year-old Thandi Dhaar forest rest house in the Rajgarh area of Himachal's Sirmaur district, police said on Saturday.

The six-decade-old rest house, operated by the Forest Department under the Habban forest range and used as a forest guard hut, was destroyed in the fire on June 29, and the accused was arrested on Friday evening.

A thorough investigation revealed that the fire was not accidental; rather, it was deliberately ignited.

The police arrested Naresh Kumar (29), a habitual wood smuggler from Jamoli in the Rajgarh area, in connection with the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rajgarh V C Negi said.

Days before the incident, the forest department allegedly recovered around 35 pieces of illegally cut deodar wood from the Thandi Dhar forest and had stacked them near the forest guard hut.

On the night of the fire, Naresh Kumar attempted to steal the wood but was thwarted when the Van Mitra and her brother were present in the rest house. In a drunken state, he allegedly poured petrol inside the rest house and set it ablaze, the DSP said.

A case was registered in the Rajgarh Police Station under relevant sections for causing damage to government property and intent to kill a government employee, and further investigation in the case is underway, he added. PTI COR BPL MPL MPL