Rajkot fire: HM holds meeting; town planners, fire officer sent to 12-day remand | Latest News India

Ahmedabad: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday convened a meeting with senior civic and police officials to address the aftermath of the TRP Game Zone fire tragedy in Gujarat’s Rajkot, which claimed 27 lives on May 25, people aware of the matter said.

According to the people, the meeting took place during Shah’s brief stop at Rajkot International Airport on Thursday afternoon before he proceeded to the Somnath Temple in Prabhas Patan, Veraval district, to offer prayers.

According to the people, Shah in the meeting reviewed the actions taken in response to the devastating fire. Those who attended the meeting included Rajkot Municipal Commissioner DP Desai, police commissioner Brajesh Kumar Jha, and district collector Prabhav Joshi.

Meanwhile, Town Planning Officer (TPO) Mansukh Sagathia, Assistant Town Planning Officers (ATPO) Mukesh Makwana and Gautam Joshi, and Fire Station Officer Rohit Vigora, who were arrested on Thursday by the Rajkot Crime Branch, were on Friday sent to a 12-day remand by a court.

The police investigation into the TRP Game Zone fire tragedy identified the culpability of these four Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) officials. Subsequently, a police complaint was filed, leading to their arrests, said an official.

Investigations also revealed that the arcade was being operated without safety equipment or a clearance.

The RMC officials face charges of illegal omission, and their names will be added to the original complaint, which named six accused, including special public prosecutor Tushar Savani. Indian Penal Code Section 36, which addresses the offences caused partly by an act and partly by an omission, will be added to the charges, the official mentioned above told the court.

Savani in his argument told the court that on September 4, 2023, a fire was caused earlier too by welding activities in the TRP Game Zone. Despite a fire officer being present at the scene, no fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) was requested.

The devastating fire at the TRP Game Zone in Rajkot’s Nana-Mava locality on May 25 evening killed 27 people. Preliminary investigations revealed major safety lapses like the lack of a fire NOC and emergency exits at the facility where welding work was underway.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the matter on May 30 questioned senior officials, including the recently transferred Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava, Additional CP Vidhi Chaudhary, DCP Sudhirkumar J Desai, suspended officers VR Patel and NI Rathod, and former Rajkot Municipal Commissioner Anand Patel.