Bantwala, July 15: Fire broke out in a bank due to short circuit at Melkar here on Sunday and caused heavy damage.

The fire broke out at Vishwakarma Seva Sahakari Bank at a private building at Melkar Junction. As a result, computers, electronic equipment, documents and files of the banks and other materials were gutted in the fire causing a loss of worth lakhs.

Noticing the smoke and fire flames from the windows of the building, local people informed the fire brigade which rushed to the spot and doused the fire. It is suspected that the fire might have broke out due to short circuit.

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Port Blair (PTI): In a major anti-narcotics operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) seized a vessel with six Myanmarese crew carrying 6,000 kg of contraband Methamphetamine near Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an official said on Monday.

The drugs were found packed in around 3,000 packets of 2 kg each, which are worth several crores of rupees in the international market.

On November 23, the pilot of a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft while on routine patrolling noticed a suspicious movement of a fishing trawler near Barren Island which is nearly 150 km from Port Blair, the Defence official said.

"The trawler was warned and asked to lower its speed and in the meantime, the pilot alerted the Andaman and Nicobar Command. Immediately, our nearby fast patrolling vessels rushed towards Barren Island and towed the fishing trawler to Port Blair on November 24 for further investigation," the official said.

"We have arrested six Myanmarese nationals from the fishing trawler and it is believed that the Methamphetamine was meant for India and its neighbouring countries. We have informed the Andaman and Nicobar Police for joint interrogation," the defence official said.

This is not the first time that such banned contraband was seized on Indian waters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2019 and 2022, similar drugs were seized from foreign vessels while they tried to enter Indian waters.

Methamphetamine is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug.