PANCHTHAR: Excavator used for road construction in Ranke, Ravi-Bhedetar road section caught fire yesterday night.

The excavator (Ba 3 Ka 566) that was parked at Lekhgaun, Miklajung-1 is said to be the property of the contractor – Jwala Company.

The incident was investigated by a police team led by Police Inspector Tej Narayan Yadav.

According to witnesses, handwritten pamphlets with a warning -- about there being an explosive device nearby -- were found scattered near the site.

Police suspect that the fire could be intentional, however, the investigation is still ongoing.