A massive fire engulfed a gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat, on May 25, claiming the lives of at least 25 individuals, including children. The incident has sparked a wave of condolences and prompted an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended his heartfelt condolences on the tragic loss of life. In a social media post on ‘X’, he expressed, “I extend my deepest condolences on the loss of life in the fierce fire in Rajkot. My thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy.” Earlier, he had conveyed, “Deeply grieved at the loss of lives in the terrible fire in Rajkot. Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this tragedy.”
In response to the incident, authorities swiftly formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough probe. Head of the SIT, Subhash Trivedi, assured a comprehensive investigation. “It is an unfortunate incident… We have formed an SIT team to thoroughly investigate the matter. We will identify the responsible parties and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Trivedi affirmed.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi visited the site of the fire and emphasized the urgency of finding a person still missing. “Our top priority is to locate the missing individual. We have deployed multiple teams for this purpose,” Sanghvi stated.
Sanghvi directed all relevant officials to convene at the Collector’s office by 3 am to coordinate the investigation. “This is a tragic incident… The SIT has been instructed to commence the investigation immediately. All relevant officials must be present at the Collector’s office to ensure a thorough investigation,” he emphasized.
Two individuals, including the owner and manager of the TRP game zone in Rajkot, have been taken into police custody for interrogation in connection with the fire incident.
The tragic incident has prompted widespread grief and underscores the urgent need for stringent fire safety measures in public spaces. Authorities have pledged to spare no effort in seeking justice for the victims and preventing similar disasters in the future.