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Kamala Mills Fire: Maharashtra govt appoints Prakash Shetty as special public prosecutor

14 people died in the blaze

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The Maharashtra Government on Wednesday appointed Prakash Shetty as the special public prosecutor in the Kamala Mills fire case.

On Tuesday, an Indian Express report said that police officials had roped in Shetty to ensure that there were no lapses in evidence collection.

The same day, former top cop of Mumbai Police, Julio Ribeiro filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court, seeking setting up of a judicial commission to conduct a judicial inquiry to fix accountability of public and private persons, responsible for the fire at two pubs in Kamala Mills Compound last month.

Ribeiro, a 89-year-old retired officer, in his plea has also sought the formation of a special investigation team, headed by a police officer not below the rank of an Additional Commissioner of Police, to thoroughly investigate the alleged criminal offence, in which few people have been arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

On the midnight of December 28, a major fire broke out in one of the eateries located after a piece of charcoal used in hookahs began to burn in Trade House in the Kamala Mills compound at Central Mumbai on Thursday night. The fire soon spread to the media offices belonging to Times Now and TV 9 news networks. BMC officials confirmed to DNA that 14 people have died and 16 are injured. Out of the injured admitted in KEM hospital, 2 are said to be critical.  The fire broke out at 12:30 AM and was controlled by the Mumbai Fire Brigade by 2 AM. However, rescue operations continued till late in the night. FIR under charges of culpable homicide has been registered against the restaurant where the fire broke out.

All the deaths were caused due to suffocation, reports ANI.  " 14 deaths were due to suffocation," said Dr Rajesh Dere who performed the postmortem. The majority of those killed were women attending a birthday party at a rooftop restaurant, police said. The 28-year-old woman celebrating her birthday was among those who died, her grandfather.

Five Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials were today suspended after a fire in Mumbai's Kamala Mills Compound killed 14 people.

"We have suspended five officials in connection with the fire tragedy," Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta was quoted as saying by PTI.

The officials suspended were attached to the fire brigade and the G South Ward.

The suspended officials include an assistant divisional fire officer, while the remaining four are from the ward office including engineers and health officials, civic sources said, adding the ward officer of G South has been transferred.

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said an inquiry has been ordered and strict action will be taken against errant officials.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to conduct an inquiry and "to take strong action against erring officials immediately".

The fire that started at "1 Above", a rooftop pub, and spread to Mojo pub on the third floor one level below in the Trade House Building in Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area, a popular night spot as well as commercial hub housing several offices including national television channels. The fire that spread after midnight also injured 21 people. 

The massive blaze engulfed the entire building in about 30 minutes and took several hours to be put out. The cause of the fire is not known.

Teams of fire brigade and police rushed to the spot and 35 injured people were pulled out from inside the pub and taken to hospital, a police official said.

Police have booked Hratesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Manka of C Grade Hospitality, which manages the pub, along with others, under various charges including cuplable homicide not amounting to murder.

They are also charged IPC sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).

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