Judicial inquiry will be ordered into Meerut fire: Mulayam

Meerut, Apr 11: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said a judicial inquiry will be ordered into the major fire that tore through a consumer goods fair at Victoria Park here last evening.

''A judicial inquiry will be ordered and a decision to this effect will also decide on the person who will head the enquiry and the time frame within which the report will be submitted,'' Mr Yadav told reporters here.

The Chief Minister put the death toll in the fire at 30, with injuries to 141 people of whom 16 are critically injured. Mr Yadav did not rule out the possibility of the toll rising as several people are missing in the mishap.

However, official sources last night put the death toll at 60 and 119 as injured.

If any person was found guilty in the report no matter who that person is be will be brought to book, Mr Yadav noted.

The Chief Minister declined to comment when asked to comment on BSP chief Mayawati's demand for a CBI inquiry into the fire.

Earlier, the entourage of Mr Yadav had to face the wrath of the victims' relatives, who alleged that the administration had a callous attitude in dealing with the emergency, when the Chief Minister visited the site of the fire at the Victoria Park.

''The government had been very slow in reacting to the situation and this aggravated the tragedy. The administration also did not take adequate measures while organising trade fair of this magnitude,'' said Asmin, whose relative is missing.

Mr Yadav also visited the twelve injured admitted at the intensive care unit of the Jaiswal Specially hospital and enquired about their well-being.

Earlier, in the day, Congress President Sonia Gandhi visited the injured at various hospitals alongwith Shri Prakash Jaiswal, Minister of State for home.

Ms Gandhi asked for a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The blaze is believed to have broke out due short circuit when there were an estimated 2000 people at the fair at the Victoria Park.

DIG Range R K Vishwakarma yesterday said about 200 stalls including food counters were participating in the fair.

Last night, former UP Chief Minister Mayawati demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident and sought the intervention of the state governor T Rajeshwar into the matter.

BJP President Rajnath Singh and Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan are slated to visit the spot this evening.

UNI

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