Death of two Sikkim women in Surat blaze: Spa, gym owners held

Meanwhile, the family members of the victims, Manisha Damai (33) and Benu Limboo (30), left with their mortal remains on a flight on Friday. The two women, who used to work at Amrutya Spa at a commercial complex in the City Light area, died of asphyxiation following the blaze on Wednesday night.

A case was filed against Shahnawaz, Vasim and Khan under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 54 (abettor present when offence is committed).

Following their arrest, Shahnawaz, a resident of Amber Colony in Udhna, and Khan, a resident of Adajan area, were taken to New Civil Hospital for medical examination.

In his complaint, Umra police station sub-inspector H A Solanki alleged, “The gym owner had illegally built a mezzanine floor and, in 2022, given it to Khan at a rent of Rs 30,000 per month to run the spa. The spa had a single entry and exit with two rooms inside and no provision for ventilators. The interior doors as well as the main door of the spa were made of glass, which could be opened only by finger touch sensors…”

He further stated, “After the fire broke out in the electric panel near the gym’s reception centre, the cleaning staffer, Chetan Vasava, rushed to the spa and informed them about the fire. While two employees…escaped from the spot, Damai and Limboo, who were in the bathroom and an interior room, respectively, died due to asphyxiation.”

The FIR stated that Shahnawaz and his partner Vasim had, in 2019, taken the property on rent from one Bhupendra Popat at a monthly payment of Rs 2.52 lakh.

“The duo had made an elevated structure in an area inside the gym and given it to Khan on rent in 2022. The fire department had issued notice to the gym owners for not putting in place an emergency exit on the premises. They were also instructed to set up ventilation in the gym and the spa, which they failed to do.”

Meanwhile, the primary report of the post-mortem examination carried out at New Civil Hospital stated that both the women died of asphyxiation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 4 Vijay Singh Gurjar said, “The bodies were handed over to the families who came down to Surat. They were accompanied by some government officials of Sikkim on their flight. On Friday morning, they left Surat for Delhi from where they will head to Sikkim.”

He further said, “We have arrested two accused and recorded their statements. The third accused is absconding and will be arrested soon. We have received the fire department’s probe report while the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) report is awaited. The Surat Municipal Corporation is also looking into the illegal construction of the spa structure inside the gym and will take suitable action.”