Mysuru:  A major wildfire broke out at Chamundi Hill yesterday and destroyed an estimated 25 acres of forest cover. Forest officials suspect it to be man-made as the fire erupted at three different areas from a private land at the foothills of Chamundi on the Mysuru-Nanjangud Road side from where it spread towards the forest area.

The Department is suspecting a human hand in the fire incident as a charred body of a woman was discovered atop the Hill. Miscreants would have set fire to the forest to cover up the murder of the woman, officials suspected.

The Department received the fire alert yesterday at 4.30 pm at Bandipalya and personnel, including fire watchers and guards, were rushed to the spot. Also, five to six fire tenders arrived there. “We were able to contain the fire only after three hours due to high wind speed and challenging conditions. Due to the inaccessible topography of the Hill and as the fire was spreading from the bottom to the top, it took some time to extinguish the flames and bring the situation under control,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr. K.C. Prashanth Kumar.

Most of the forest cover destroyed in the incident consisted of shrubs and grass, he said and added that the fire was doused at 7 pm. “Only dry shrubs and wild grass were charred and no damage was found to tree cover or other precious flora,” he said.

The Forest Department personnel, along with Fire Service Department personnel, ensured that the blaze did not spread further to Uttanahalli and the Chamundi Hill Road which leads to the Nandi statue though the intensity of the fire was severe.

Body found

The woman’s body was found by personnel of the Fire Department, who later informed the jurisdictional Krishnaraja Police about it. The body has been burnt beyond recognition, thereby prompting Police to suspect foul play. Police suspect that the fire may have been ignited at the Hill while the body was being burnt to destroy evidence which may have later spread to the surrounding forest areas.

The body has been shifted to the mortuary of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI). A bottle of tablets was found beside the body and this has led the Police to investigate the possibility of the woman committing suicide. “The body has been burnt beyond recognition and we are attempting to establish the identity and matching the details with the records of missing persons,” said a Police officer.

The Police suspect that the woman might be aged around 35. “We are also ascertaining if the woman had been killed before she was set ablaze,” the Police officer added.