The question paper sets of various subjects of Class 12 (HSC) Maharashtra board exams were gutted on Wednesday morning after the truck carrying them caught fire in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, officials said.

The question paper sets of the Pune division of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) were being transported from Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra when the incident took place, they said.

The state board’s offline exams for Class 12 are scheduled to begin from March 4.

“A truck carrying the question paper sets of Class 12 suddenly caught fire near Sangamner ghat in Ahmednagar district. The boxes containing question papers of various subjects were destroyed due to the blaze and later lay scattered on the road,” board’s chairperson, Sharad Gosavi, said.

Ahmednagar Superintendent of Police Manoj Patil said the incident took place around 7 am.

“As per the preliminary information, smoke started billowing from the truck when it was moving. The driver and other occupants jumped out. Soon, the truck caught fire and the paper sets were gutted,” he said.

After being informed about the blaze, the police and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire, he said.

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