DUSHANBE, October 24, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- A fire that broke out at the cotton-ginning factory belonging to  prominent religious leader and former deputy prime minister Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda early Monday morning destroyed many bales of cotton.

Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon that the fire broke out at the cotton ginnery’s warehouse at around 3:00 am and it was extinguished only by 7:00 am.

The cotton ginnery owner considers that it was arson.  “Gasoline was poured on cotton bales,” said Turajonzoda.  “We have found the plastic bottle cover smelling of gasoline.  This proves that somebody intentionally set fire to the cotton bales,” Turajonzoda said, noting that the fire destroyed some 500 cotton bales.