Govt corrects Rajkot fire toll to 27; FIR recorded ‘human limb’ as 28th victim

The final list of victims was drawn after matching and removing duplication of information provided by various people about victims, the government stated in an official release.

“DNA samples were collected from 27 bodies and their (victims’) relatives. After all the samples having matched, it has been confirmed that 27 people were killed in the incident,” the release said, adding, “The 27 bodies have been handed over to their relatives.”

Incidentally, an FIR lodged at Rajkot taluka police station on May 26 stated that 28 people were killed in the fire that broke out at TRP Game Zone on the posh Nana Mava Road around 5 pm on May 25. Filed on the basis of a complaint registered by sub-inspector Pragneshkumar Trajiya, the FIR stated that 27 bodies and some human remains were brought to the Rajkot civil hospital. The bodies were charred beyond recognition with the FIR stating that three bodies were burnt to the extent that it was difficult to determine their sex from their appearance. The FIR recorded “human limbs” as the 28th victim.

The government release listed 21 males and six female victims, in addition to two minors. No missing complaints are pending, the release stated.

Rajkot city police commissioner Brajesh Kumar Jha could not be reached for a comment about the correction of the death toll. too said that the final count is 27. “Final figure is 27 only,” he said without elaborating any further.

The state government had announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the nine injured victims. “We have completed almost 90 per cent work of disbursing ex gratia compensation among the kin of the victims,” Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi said.

Meanwhile, Hitesh alias Vijay Pandya (43), a cook at a local restaurant and a resident of Kothariya Road, was booked by police for allegedly providing false information that his sister’s son and two children of his old neighbour had gone missing after the fire at TRP Game Zone. “Pandya gave this information to police staff who were on duty at Rajkot civil hospital on Tuesday night. However, when we sought further information about the three people, he stated that neither his nephew nor the other two children were missing and that he had given that information just like that,” B V Chudasama, police sub-inspector of Pradyuman Nagar police station, told The Indian Express.

Based on a complaint filed by head constable Dharmesh Dangar, a non-cognisable offence was registered against Pandya under IPC Section 211 for allegedly providing false information that can result in proceedings against someone. “He was arrested subsequently but was granted bail by police,” Chudasama, who probed the case, said.