Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday took an aerial survey top of Vyohargiri hills in Bihar's Rajgir to get an assessment of the damage caused by the fire that last for three days.

Nitish expressed surprise as such incidents were unheard of in Rajgir, the seat of the ancient Magadh empire — in the Nalanda district of Bihar.

He held a meeting with senior officials and directed them to find out the reasons behind the fire.

“Rajgir is an ancient site famous across the globe. The hills are well known for several types of medicinal herbs and also shrines belonging to various religions.

"I had never heard of a forest fire in these parts and am worried about it. Such incidents will destroy everything. Find out the reality behind the fire,” Nitish told officials at the meeting.

The chief minister also asked the officials to keep an eye on the tourists' arrival in the area, work rapidly to undo the damage done by the fire, and mount a special round-the-clock vigil to ensure that such incidents do not recur.