Noida, Sep 18: A massive fire broke out on the fourth floor of a garment company in Noida’s Sector 63 area on Friday, triggering panic in the locality.

Eight fire tenders were deployed to the spot, and firefighters brought the blaze under control after around one-and-a-half hours of sustained efforts. No casualties were reported in the incident.

According to officials, the fire broke out at a garment company located at F-463, within the jurisdiction of the Sector 63 police station. Flames and thick smoke were seen emanating from the fourth floor of the building, following which the Fire Department was alerted.

As soon as the information was received, fire service teams rushed to the location and launched a firefighting operation. Considering the intensity of the blaze and the presence of garment-related materials inside the premises, firefighters took immediate measures to prevent the flames from spreading to other parts of the building and nearby areas.

Firefighters sprayed water from different directions to contain the flames and prevent the situation from worsening.

After approximately one-and-a-half hours of firefighting efforts, the blaze was brought under complete control. Following the operation, fire service personnel conducted a thorough inspection of the premises to ensure that there were no remaining flames or pockets of smoke that could lead to a rekindling of the fire.

Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pradeep Kumar, said that the fire department received information about a blaze on the fourth floor of a garment company located at F-463 in Sector 63.

“Immediately after receiving the information, the fire service team reached the spot. Eight fire tenders were used to extinguish the fire. After approximately one-and-a-half hours of firefighting, the blaze was brought under control,” he said.

The CFO confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident.

According to the preliminary assessment, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire. However, officials said the exact cause of the blaze and the extent of damage to the property and materials could be determined only after a detailed investigation.

A fire department team inspected the site after the blaze was extinguished and collected the necessary information as part of the ongoing assessment.

The incident caused concern among people in the surrounding area, although prompt action by the fire service personnel helped prevent the fire from spreading further. The authorities are continuing to assess the circumstances that led to the incident.

New Delhi, Sep 18: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped and murdered by four persons, including three juveniles, in Delhi, with police saying the accused subsequently abandoned her body in an open area.

Parts of the victim’s decomposed body were later found to have been eaten by stray dogs.

According to police, the incident came to light on September 13 when the girl’s severely decomposed body was discovered near Jaipal Rana’s field along Kushak Road in the Swaroop Nagar area of north Delhi. The condition of the body was such that police could not initially determine the victim’s gender.

Police said the victim was acquainted with the accused and had been travelling with them in a tempo. During the journey, the group allegedly consumed alcohol before the girl was sexually assaulted. She was subsequently stabbed to death, after which her body was allegedly dumped in the open field.

Investigators said stray dogs had eaten parts of the body, while one of the victim’s hands was found detached from the rest of the body.

Police said the girl’s family had not lodged a missing person complaint. During questioning, her relatives reportedly told investigators that she would sometimes leave home and return after staying away for several days.

A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Since there were no apparent eyewitnesses and the identities of the suspects were initially unknown, police began examining CCTV footage from the area.

Investigators analysed footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras installed along the suspected crime scene and adjoining routes. During the exercise, police noticed a tempo moving in the vicinity around the relevant period. However, its registration number could not be identified clearly because of poor visibility and darkness.

The investigators subsequently tracked the vehicle’s movements through footage from several locations. A night-long operation was conducted during the intervening night of September 15 and 16, following which the suspected tempo was traced.

Police then identified and questioned its driver. The investigation eventually led to the apprehension of four persons allegedly connected with the incident, including three juveniles.

The adult accused has been identified as Shivam, alias Sudama, alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony, police said. The three juveniles apprehended in connection with the case are aged 16 and 17.

According to police, two knives allegedly used during the crime, clothes purportedly worn by the accused, and the tempo have been recovered.

Further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events, ascertain the individual roles of those apprehended and verify the forensic and technical evidence, police said.

Bengaluru, Sep 17: A family dispute is suspected to have been the reason behind the deadly attack in Bengaluru on a 26-year-old nurse from West Bengal, allegedly by her estranged husband from Tamil Nadu, police said on Thursday.

The victim, Madhumita, is in critical condition following the attack near Narayana Hospital in J.P. Nagar Third Phase.

DCP South Dr. Vamshi Krishna, who visited the spot, said the accused, identified as Venkateshan, allegedly attacked Madhumita with a machete and a long knife after throwing a liquid suspected to be acid, on her.

The incident took place around 9.15 a.m. near Narayana Hospital, where Madhumita works as a nurse. According to the DCP, the accused wore a helmet during the assault and used two deadly weapons in the attack.

“The accused has used a liquid similar to acid and assaulted the woman with a machete and a long knife. The couple are husband and wife, and the incident is suspected to have taken place against the backdrop of a family dispute,” Dr. Vamshi Krishna said.

Madhumita and Venkateshan had married in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in 2024. However, the couple had reportedly not been living together for around one-and-a-half years. Madhumita had been staying in a PG accommodation in Bengaluru, while Venkateshan had earlier worked in Bengaluru before moving to Chennai.

Police said Venkateshan had travelled from Madurai to Bengaluru on Wednesday night and allegedly arrived with the liquid and weapons before carrying out the attack. He was arrested and is being questioned by the police.

The Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team has collected and is examining the liquid allegedly used in the attack to determine whether it was acid.

According to police sources, the couple had met through a dating application. Venkateshan allegedly suspected Madhumita and frequently fought with her over her social media posts and reels.

During questioning, Venkateshan allegedly told police that his wife was not listening to him and that he suspected she was with another man. He allegedly attacked her more than 10 times with the deadly weapons.

It can be recalled that Venkateshan allegedly chased Madhumita when she came out of the hospital. She ran towards the cellar parking area of the hospital, where the accused allegedly caught hold of her and threw the acid-like liquid on her. He then allegedly grabbed her by the hair and attacked her repeatedly with a machete and the knife.

The assault reportedly took place in full public view. Several people raised an alarm and attempted to intervene, but the accused allegedly waved the machete at those who tried to approach him. Some members of the public reportedly attempted to rescue Madhumita by pelting stones at the accused, but were unable to overpower him.

Police have obtained video recordings of the assault that were made by members of the public. The footage is expected to form part of the investigation into the incident.

The accused was eventually overpowered and taken into custody after a traffic police officer arrived at the spot.

Madhumita, who hails from Kolkata in West Bengal, sustained serious injuries in the attack and was shifted to a private hospital for treatment.