Six Congress councillors in Katni resign over Barhi fire that killed six

Six Congress councillors have resigned together after a fire in Barhi, in Katni district, killed six people. The councillors handed a letter to the Katni Collector on 11 November, demanding a high-level inquiry into the incident.

In the letter, the councillors wrote that a fire broke out in Barhi on the night of 8 November and six people died in it. They said they were resigning together out of moral responsibility towards the people of the area and respect for public sentiment after the incident.

The councillors demanded disciplinary action against any officials or employees found negligent in the inquiry. They also raised questions about the preparedness of the nagar parishad (town council) for emergencies. They also questioned the resources available and the promptness of its staff.

The six who resigned are Pragya Ajay Verma of Sardar Vallabhbhai ward number 1, Shivkumari Rajesh Vanshkar of Chandrashekhar Azad ward number 4, Nancy Amit Gupta of ward number 5, Anju Kol of Mahatma Gandhi ward number 9, Govardhan Barhai of Maulana Azad ward number 10 and Pooja Radheshyam Tamrakar of ward number 11.

The deaths and the councillors' collective resignation have stirred local politics in Barhi. There are demands for justice for the affected Agrawal family and for action against those responsible for the incident.

All eyes are now on the administrative inquiry. Only after it will it become clear at what level rescue efforts during the fire fell short and who is responsible.