As many as 62 colour television sets, meant for free distribution, were destroyed in a fire that broke out in the Sevalapurai panchayat office in Melmalaiyanur Panchayat Union near Ginjee on Saturday night.
The sources said that the panchayat had received a total of 1,859 colour television sets from the government in March last.
Of these 1,226 sets were given away to beneficiaries and the remaining sets were stocked in the panchayat office.
On noticing smoke billowing out of the panchayat office, villagers called up the fire service and rescue personnel. While, 62 sets were totally gutted, some others partially damaged.
A computer and some of the chairs kept in the panchayat office too were damaged. The cause of the fire was not known.
The police are investigating.
