Mon Dec 29 05:03:21 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, formatted as if from “The Hindu” e-paper:
Headline: Fire Damages Five Shops in Kundapura After Electrical Short Circuit
Mangaluru, December 29, 2025, 10:33 AM IST – A fire broke out at a puja (religious ritual) item shop in Kundapura early Monday morning, resulting in significant damage to five shops. The incident occurred around 2:00 AM on the street connecting the Venkataramana temple and the Pete Anjaneya temple.
According to police reports, the fire is believed to have originated from an electrical short circuit within the puja item shop. The blaze quickly spread, completely destroying the originating shop and two others. Two additional shops sustained partial fire damage.
The affected businesses included an electronics store, a provisions shop, a hardware store, and a bookstore that also housed a cracker storage area.
Fire tenders from Kundapura and Byndoor responded to the scene, successfully extinguishing the fire. Authorities confirmed that there were no casualties reported. The investigation into the full extent of the damage and the exact cause of the electrical fault is ongoing.
First Piper 