Ten shops were gutted in a blaze in a market of Dhupguri town in Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday afternoon.

Four fire engines doused the flames in a couple of hours. No injuries have been reported.

Sources said a fire broke out in the local supermarket in Dhupguri somewhere between 2pm and 2.30pm. Because of plastic bags and other inflammable items stored in the shops, the fire spread easily.

Three fire engines from the local fire station reached the spot to tame the blaze. Later, another fire engine came from Maynaguri as well to assist the three.

Local youths helped firemen and policemen, as Sujay Tunga, the inspector–in–charge of Dhupguri police station, monitored the situation.

Firemen are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire. They and the police are holding separate inquiries. The total loss is yet to be estimated, traders said.

Bomb recovered

A live crude bomb was recovered from an agricultural plot in a village in Cooch Behar district on Wednesday morning.

Police sources said that Sudhir Barman, a farmer in Paschim Bakalirchara village of Cooch Behar, spotted the bomb in his mustard field and immediately informed Sahebganj police station.

Later, a police team defused the bomb. Investigationsare on.