RAJKOT: In the early hours of Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) convened with local authorities in Rajkot, Gujarat, to discuss the devastating fire at a game zone that claimed the lives of 27 individuals and left three others injured.
The intensity of the blaze rendered the bodies unrecognizable, prompting the collection of DNA samples from the deceased and their relatives to aid in identification.
On Sunday morning, chief minister Bhupendra Patel visited the site of the tragedy on Nana-Mava road and met with the injured at a nearby hospital. Authorities have taken the owner and manager of the game zone into custody in connection with the incident.
Among the 27 victims were four children below the age of 12, who lost their lives in the inferno that engulfed the game zone during a busy summer vacation evening, according to officials.
The state government has assembled a five-member SIT to investigate the incident and provide a report within 72 hours. The team arrived in Rajkot late Saturday night and immediately engaged in discussions with local administration.
Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi also reached Rajkot and participated in the meeting.
"The prime minister has sought the information of the incident from the chief minister and has expressed grief. The PM has directed that strong action be taken against the culprits," he said.
Additional director general of police Subhash Trivedi, who heads the SIT, told reporters on Saturday night before the meeting that the incident was unfortunate and sad.
He said the inquiry will begin immediately to find out those responsible for it and ensure no such incident is repeated in the future.
"We will go through all the aspects of the incident and investigate them thoroughly...We will work with commitment and complete honesty and integrity to provide justice to the children who have lost their lives," Trivedi said.
Additional commissioner of police (ACP) Vinayak Patel said 27 bodies were recovered from the incident site and taken to the city civil hospital.
Three persons were injured in the incident and their health condition was stable, he said.
"The bodies are charred beyond recognition, and we have completed the process of collecting the DNA samples of the bodies and the relatives who have claimed them so that the identity of the deceased can be established. The death toll is not likely to rise any further," he said.
The SIT, headed by ADGP Trivedi, includes Commissioner, Technical Education, BN Pani; Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Gandhinagar, HP Sanghvi; Chief Fire Officer, Ahmedabad, JN Khadia; and Superintending Engineer, Roads and Buildings Department, MB Desai.
The exact cause of the massive fire is not yet known.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief over the incident.
PM Modi spoke to chief minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday to enquire about the rescue and relief efforts.
The CM has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each injured.
Following the outbreak of the fire, Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava addressed the media, stating that an investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the blaze. Additionally, a message was sent to all gaming zones in the city, instructing them to cease operations.
In response to the tragic incident, the state director general of police has issued directives to the commissioners of police and superintendents of police throughout Gujarat. They are to inspect all game zones within their jurisdiction and shut down those operating without the necessary fire safety permissions.
The DGP has emphasized that this process should be carried out in collaboration with fire officers from the respective municipalities.
(With inputs from PTI)
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