Rajkot game zone fire: Gujarat govt suspends five officials for negligence

The Gujarat government on Monday ordered the suspension of five officials in connection with the Rajkot game zone fire that claimed at least 27 lives. A government release stated that two of the five officials who have been suspended are police inspectors, and others are civic officials. The officials have been held responsible for their gross negligence in allowing the game zone to operate without necessary approvals. 

Rajkot Municipal Corporation's town planning department assistant engineer Jaideep Chaudhary, assistant town planner for RMC Gautam Joshi, Rajkot Roads and Buildings department's deputy executive engineer MR Suma, and police inspectors VR Patel and NI Rathod have been suspended.

Moreover, the game zone was being operated without a no-objection certificate. "The game zone had received permissions from the roads and buildings department. It had also submitted a proof of fire safety equipment to obtain the fire NOC which was under process and not yet completed," said Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava.

The place, additionally, had one route that served as both entry and exit points. Officials had told India Today that thousands of litres of diesel and petrol were stored in various pockets of the game zone, which caused the fire to spread fast. 

The blaze is believed to have been caused by electrical issues. 

The police have arrested two persons and registered an FIR against six partners of the game zone and another accused on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The state government has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. 

The Gujarat High Court took suo motu cognisance of the fire and called it a ‘man-made disaster’.