Konaje: The Mangalore University Administration in Konaje was caught napping on Thursday when unknown miscreants set fire to the plantation area and a large number of trees were destroyed by the wild fire raging in breeze, on Thursday evening. The anti-socialists had chosen several places simultaneous to catch fire, thus creating problem for a fire brigade deliberately to extinguish the fire at one time.
The fire spread from a hostel of Employees to the Electric Control unit. It was local persons who saw the fires and reported to Konaje police station.
Shortage of water to douse fires, added to the difficulties of police and fire brigade services. There are forests around the campus spread out on 350 acres in Konaje area.