A fire broke out at the home of a Hindu schoolteacher in Sylhet’s Gowainghat area on Thursday afternoon, with police saying the incident was caused by an electrical short circuit.

The fire occurred around 3:50pm at the residence of Bikash Ranjan Deb, a teacher at Gowainghat High School. Local residents and fire service personnel worked together to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further.

After inspecting the scene, police said there was no evidence of sabotage or criminal intent. The homeowner also told authorities that he had no personal disputes and that the area is home to both Hindu and Muslim families living peacefully.

According to Bikash Ranjan Deb, household belongings worth approximately Tk5 million were destroyed in the fire. He said he does not suspect anyone and believes the fire was purely accidental.

Police officers later recorded a video statement from the homeowner, confirming his account of the incident. The footage was shared with news agencies as part of the official documentation.

The incident occurred amid heightened regional attention on minority safety issues. However, local authorities stressed that this case does not appear to be linked to communal violence.

Police said a routine investigation is ongoing, but no further action is expected unless new information emerges.