With the attack on the American Centre in January 2002 still fresh in the minds of the men-in-uniform, the incident set off a chain reaction, generating alarm among those posted on the spot.

The police later realised that it was not an attack but the work of a mentally-challenged man that held them on tenterhooks. Two fire tenders were pressed into action and they doused the flames within 20 minutes.

“If a mentally-challenged man can set fire in a sensitive and highly secured area like this, anybody can attack the Centre any day,” said Swaraj Ghatak, who runs his business in the area.

Around 11.30 am, pedestrians saw smoke billowing from the area that was soon in flames.

The heavily armed policemen, who were on guard outside the centre, raised an alarm and went on high alert. Some hid behind the makeshift barricades with their weapons pointed towards the Maidan.

A team immediately rushed to the spot, only to find a man running around the flames.

After 20 minutes of hard work, the fire was brought under control but the so-called assailant managed to give the cops a slip.

The incident, however, raised questions about the security arrangements at high-security zones.