BENGALURU: The Kalasipalya police have sought reports from as many as four different departments regarding the cause of the fire that claimed five lives at the Kalasipalya bar. They have not yet received any of the reports, and hence do not know about what triggered the fire.
A police official said the Electrical Inspectorate department, the BBMP, the Fire and Emergency Services and the Forensic Departments have been asked to submit reports.
The Electrical Inspectorate department was expected to provide a definitive answer to whether an electrical short circuit caused the fire. Hemant Kumar, the Electrical Inspector for the Additional West jurisdiction, has denied any such occurrence until the wires reached the meter boxes.
“The internal wires at the bar were completely melted due to the fire, and hence we could not establish whether or not there was a short circuit. I will inspect the bar again on Thursday, and check another meter box in the room beside the bar,” he said.
Police refused to rule out the fire being caused by people drinking at the bar until late in the night, and would consider all possibilities until the various reports were submitted.
Multiple sources have acknowledged that it is common for people to drink at these bars until late night beyond the official closure time -- till 3.30 am to be precise.
Shivakumar, husband of Chickpet’s councillor Leela Shivakumar, has grown up in the area.
He told The New Indian Express that this often happened with the officials’ tacit understanding, and workers at such bars usually slept inside the bars as they were outsiders and could not afford to stay elsewhere.
Kalasipalya police stn inspector suspended
City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar has ordered for the suspension of inspector of Kalasipalya police station— R Prakash on charges of dereliction of duty. Preliminary inquiry has found that the Kailash bar & restaurant was open even after permissible hours, and also dereliction of duty on part of the inspector.