20200825 Fire in Kerala building housing files on gold smuggling racket
India Aug 25 2020 “Building” “Office bldg.”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire in Kerala building housing files on gold smuggling racket
Updated: 2020–08–26
The fire broke out in the general administration department(political) section situated in the north sandwich block of the secretariat
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A minor fire that broke out at the government secretariat here on Tuesday evening and was promptly put out, however, ignited a major political controversy, with BJP and Congress alleging a sabotage attempt.
The fire broke out in the general administration department (political) section situated in the north Sandwich block of the secretariat that handles many sensitive files, including ones related to the UAE consulate which is part of the ongoing gold smuggling case. The NIA and Customs had recently sought certain details from this section and the assistant protocol officer appeared twice before NIA.
According to senior government officials, the files handled by the section have already been migrated to the e-file system and the question of destruction of any crucial document doesn’t arise.
As news of the fire broke, BJP and Congress leaders rushed to the spot and for around three hours, the secretariat premises turned into a battlefield with BJP and Congress workers staging demonstrations and trying to break through police barricades. Police used water cannons several times to disperse the protesters.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala later met governor Arif Mohammed Khan and sought his intervention to order a proper probe into the fire.
Web Source: The times of india
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/secretariat-blaze-sabotage-or-adding-fuel-to-the-fire/articleshow/77750307.cms