Flames of deceit: How Sirmaur police uncovered truth behind Majra Bazaar fire
That night, Majra Bazaar slept under a blanket of unsuspecting quiet. Few could have imagined that in the early hours of April 18, darkness would not just linger in the sky but descend violently upon the town’s heart. Flames roared through the shops of Asif Ali and Suheb, tearing through years of hard work, shattering lives in moments. A fire sparked not just by fuel and matches, but by the slow, simmering embers of a deep family feud.
As the smoke cleared, what remained was the stunned silence of a community — and a burning question: who could do something so ruthless?
The answer came not through chance but through an extraordinary investigation led by the Sirmaur police. Within days, the force had done what many thought impossible — peeling back the layers of deceit, chasing faint digital footprints and unmasking the conspirators who thought they could outrun the law.
The arson had been chillingly premeditated. Two days before the attack, petrol was purchased in Dehradun — a detail so small that it could have been easily missed. But it wasn’t. On the night of the crime, the accused waited patiently for the right moment. With cold calculation, they doused the shops and struck the match, believing the fire would consume not only property but the truth itself.
In the immediate aftermath, Salman, the mastermind, fled to Chandigarh, carefully planting his trail of lies — toll receipts, hotel bookings, crafted alibis — in an effort to present an image of innocence. It was a plan woven with cunning. But the Sirmaur police, working tirelessly under the leadership of the Superintendent of Police Nishchint Singh Negi, were relentless.
Combining traditional fieldwork with modern cyber investigation techniques, the teams from the Majra Police Station, the Cyber Cell, and the Nahan SP Office began meticulously reconstructing the timeline. CCTV footage was analysed frame by frame. Mobile phone locations were mapped, calls dissected, hotel bookings scrutinised. The noose tightened slowly but surely.
One by one, the conspirators were caught. Three were arrested soon after the crime. Then, on Sunday, the last missing piece — Salman — was tracked down and arrested. Faced with overwhelming evidence, the accused broke down, confessing to the entire plot.
Reflecting on the operation, SP Negi said: “Criminals often underestimate the patience and resolve of the police. Our team worked around the clock, believing that no lie is perfect, no crime flawless. This case is a reminder that truth, with enough persistence, always finds its way to the surface.”
In Majra today, there is a renewed sense of security. People speak with admiration of the police officers who refused to be misled, who pursued justice not just with intelligence, but with heart. There is quiet gratitude for the men and women in uniform who, behind closed office doors and under the glow of computer screens, fought a battle that few saw but all now appreciate.
What could have been the beginning of a dangerous cycle of violence was cut short by swift action, razor-sharp investigation, and the unwavering commitment of the Sirmaur police. In solving this case, they haven’t just solved a crime — they’ve reinforced a community’s faith in justice.
Himachal Tribune