Magisterial probe ordered into Badhi fire that killed six of Agrawal family in Katni

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the fire at Badhi town in Katni district on Diwali, in which six members of the Agrawal family died. Collector Ashish Tiwari has formed a four-member committee for the inquiry, which must submit its report within 30 days.

The committee will be headed by Additional Collector Nilambar Mishra. Its members are Vijayraghavgarh SDOP Vijay Dharewe, Kymore Chief Municipal Officer Manish Parte and Katni Assistant Engineer (Electrical Safety) Jyoti Yadav.

According to the order issued on Sunday night, the committee will examine every aspect of the fire at the house and crockery shop of Puranlal, son of Bhagwat Prasad, in Badhi town.

The committee will first establish what may have caused the fire and in what circumstances the six people died. It will also assess how the police, the revenue department and the fire service handled rescue and relief work.

The inquiry will also look at whether the fire safety norms and other applicable rules were followed in the building that housed the house and the shop. The committee will also examine whether there was negligence or lapse on the part of officials or anyone else that made the tragedy so serious.

The committee will record statements from eyewitnesses who were present, members of the affected family and other concerned people. Government documents related to the incident, departmental records and other available evidence will also be examined.

The committee's final report will state the cause of the fire. It will also fix responsibility for any negligence and suggest measures to prevent such accidents in future.

The Collector's order thus gives the inquiry a wide scope, covering the cause of the fire, rescue arrangements, the safety of the building and the fixing of responsibility.