French President Macron Expresses Condolences Over Rajkot Fire Tragedy

French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives in the Rajkot game zone fire incident in Gujarat that claimed 27 lives, including those of children, and triggered a police probe.

“President @EmmanuelMacron’s message of solidarity after the tragic fire in Rajkot,” the French Embassy in India said in a post on X. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PM’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased in the Rajkot game zone fire incident. The injured persons would be given Rs 50,000, the Prime Minister’s Office said on X. The Gujarat government has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured persons.

Meanwhile, An owner partner of the Rajkot-based TRP game zone and its manager were arrested on the charge of culpable homicide after it emerged the facility was operated without fire NOC. The game zone had fire safety equipment but action taken to control the fire was not sufficient, leading to the tragedy on Saturday, a senior police officer said on Sunday, a day after the tragedy. The Gujarat High Court on Sunday took suo motu cognisance of the fire tragedy, terming it a prima facie “man-made disaster”. The bench noted a stock of highly inflammable materials such as petrol, fibres and fibreglass sheets were stored at the facility.

“Yuvrajsinh Solanki, a partner in the Raceway Enterprise, which operated the TRP game zone, and the entertainment facility’s manager Nitin Jain have so far been arrested,” said Rajkot Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Parthrajsinh Gohil. Rajkot taluka police have booked six persons for culpable homicide not amounting to murder including Dhaval Corporation proprietor Dhaval Thakkar, Raceway Enterprise partners Ashoksinh Jadeja, Kiritsinh Jadeja, Prakashchand Hiran, Yuvrajsinh Solanki and Rahul Rathod, as per the FIR. Four different teams of the crime branch have been formed to nab the four absconding accused, Bhargava said.

The local police in November 2023 granted a booking license to the gaming zone, which was renewed for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024, Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava told reporters. “The game zone had received permissions from the roads and buildings department. It had also submitted a proof of fire safety equipment to obtain the fire NOC which was under process and not yet completed,” he said. The game zone had fire safety equipment but action taken to control the blaze was not sufficient, leading to the tragedy on Saturday, he said. As per the FIR, the accused persons erected a 50-metre wide and 60-metre long structure with a height of around two to three storeys using metal sheet fabrication to create a game zone.

(With agency inputs)

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