AHMEDABAD: The death toll in the devastating fire at TRP Gaming Zone rose to 28, including four children, on Sunday.
Hours after the blaze, the Rajkot Taluka police registered a First Information Report (FIR) based on a complaint by Sub-Inspector of police Pragnesh Trajia.
The FIR held the owner of the TRP Zone responsible for the massive fire, as it alleged negligence in ensuring safety measures.
The complaint stated that despite knowing the severe fire risk, the owner operated the gaming zone without effective firefighting equipment or a fire department NOC.
The gaming zone, constructed using iron angles and galvanized sheets, lacked adequate safety features, according to the FIR. Despite the presence of electrical wiring and AC vents, the absence of firefighting equipment further exacerbated the disaster.
"The Owner of the TRP Zone constructed a gaming area using an iron and sheet fabrication structure, approximately 50 meters wide, 60 meters long, and two to three floors high. Despite knowing the severe fire risk, they operated the gaming zone without effective firefighting equipment or a fire department NOC. This reckless action, taken with full awareness of the 100% chance of human death or injury in the event of a fire, put numerous lives in jeopardy." The FIR stated.
"A total of 28 people have died in this game zone. In this serious fire incident, the owner of the TRP Game Zone, including Dhaval Thakkar, proprietor of Dhaval Corporation, and the partners of Raceway Enterprise—Ashok Singh Jadeja, Kirit Singh Jadeja, Prakash Hiran, Yuvraj Singh Solanki, and Rahul Rathore—have been accused. A case has been registered under IPC Sections 304, 308, 337, 338, and 114," the FIR reads.
However, the Rajkot Police Commissioner's statement seemed to contradict the FIR.
Speaking to the media in Rajkot on Sunday, Commissioner Rajubhargava said, "The necessary permissions were obtained from the R&B Department and the Mechanical Department. The accused have also presented evidence of the fire safety equipment they installed according to their statement. However, their proceedings for the fire NOC were ongoing and not yet completed."
The Gujarat High Court has also taken suo motu cognizance of the incident, describing it as a "man-made disaster." The court is set to hear the matter on Monday, May 27, and may issue directives regarding safety standards in gaming zones across the state.
The fire, which broke out around 4:30 pm on Saturday afternoon at the two-story recreational facility in Rajkot, was packed with around 300 people due to the summer vacation and weekend amidst sweltering weather, officials said. The fire caused chaos as some managed to escape while others were trapped by collapsing temporary structures.