Rautahat, December 20

A commuter bus was found completely destroyed in a fire under mysterious circumstances at Chandrapur municipality-8, Paurai in Rautahat on Sunday morning.

The bus belonging to Miteri Transportation operating on Kathmandu-Jhapa route has been completely destroyed in the fire. Though the bus has been completely destroyed, not a single passenger or the bus staffers have come in contact so far, which has made the incident further mysterious, said Area Police Office Chandranigahapur.

DSP Manoj Yadav of the police office said investigation into the incident was under way.

According to sources, at least four buses were torched under mysterious circumstances in mid-Tarai districts, including Bara, Rautahat and Mahottari in the past one month.

A bus owner was found to have been involved in setting his bus on fire at Pasaha forest of Gadhimai municipality-16, Bara three weeks ago. Police investigation revealed that the bus owner torched his old bus to claim insurance amount.

A public offense case has been lodged against Rajiv Bomjan of Thaha municipality of Makawanpur. Though case was filed against bus owner Subhash Shrestha, he has been absconding, according to District Police Office, Bara.

Similarly, a parked bus was set on fire at Laxminiya Forest in Mahottari on November 30.

Cadres of Netra Bikram Chand Maoist had also set the truck on fire in Chandrapur area of the district a month ago.