Massive fire breaks out at Vatakara Taluk office; Kerala Govt orders investigation

 

Kozhikode: A massive fire broke out at a taluk office in Vatakara, Kozhikkode, which engulfed several important official records and files in the early hours of Friday. The Kerala government has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.

 

The fire was noticed in the early hours of the morning. According to official sources, though the blaze is under control now, three units of fire engines, which rushed to the spot from Nadapuram, Vatakara and Perambra are still fighting to douse it completely. Located in the heart of Vatakara town adjacent to the district court complex and other state government offices, most of the files and properties at the Taluk office have been destroyed in the fire. The sources added that the roof of the renovated old building collapsed in the fire. The district administration made it clear that only old records and files were destroyed in the fire as an e-filing system has been in place after the year 2019. The documents that were gutted in the fire will be ascertained later, they added.

 

Revenue Minister P Rajan told the media that all aspects including the possibility of any ‘external intervention’ into the incident would be investigated. ‘Directions have been given to carry out a comprehensive probe as soon as a preliminary report into the incident is received. All aspects including the possibility of any external intervention behind the incident will be included in the investigation’, he said.

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District Police Chief, Srinivas A also did not reject the chances of external intervention behind the unexpected fire break in the government office. ‘I am not accepting or rejecting any such possibility at the moment. A comprehensive probe will be carried out by a special team led by Vatakara DYSP’, he said. The officer also said the special branch has been entrusted with the preparation of a preliminary inquiry report sought by the Collector in this regard and scientific evidence would be collected soon.