Kamala Mills Fire: Petition In Bombay HC Seeks CBI Probe, Arrest Of Owners Of Building Where Fire Broke Out Under S.304 IPC [Read Petition]
Gaurav Sud, an 18-year-old from Mumbai studying in the United Kingdom, has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe into the Kamala Mills fire tragedy that took place on December 29 in South Mumbai’s Lower Parel leading to the death of 14 people.The petitioner has also sought the owners of the said building where the fire broke out to be booked under Section 304...
Gaurav Sud, an 18-year-old from Mumbai studying in the United Kingdom, has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe into the Kamala Mills fire tragedy that took place on December 29 in South Mumbai’s Lower Parel leading to the death of 14 people.
The petitioner has also sought the owners of the said building where the fire broke out to be booked under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC.
The tragedy that occurred at 12:30 am in Kamala Mills Compound on December 29 shook the city as 14 people died in the fire that reportedly started at ‘1 Above’ hookah bar and spread to the adjacent restaurant ‘Mojo Bistro’.
Relying on newspaper reports, the petitioner said a piece of burning coal ignited a curtain which in turn set ablaze a temporary roof made of bamboo poles tied together.
The petition stated that these 14 people died due to asphyxiation and not due to the flames as there was no proper evacuation plan in the building for rescue of the trapped persons. Apparently, the said fire broke out because of sheer negligence on the part of the operators and owners of the premises where the said pub and restaurant were operating.
Although, owners of both ‘Mojo Bistro’ and ‘1 Above’ have been arrested and booked under S.304, the petitioner sought owners of the said building to be added as accused under S. 304 as well.
“Not only operators of the said PUB and restaurant are responsible for the fire and deaths of 14 persons but also the owners of the building and premises and the concerned officers of the Municipal Corporation, Fire Brigade and other concerned authorities, which had allowed the said PUB and Restaurant to carry out such businesses with impunity, without proper checks and precautions,” the petition stated.
The petitioner has pointed out from news reports that there was only one entry-cum-exit to the pub which made evacuation difficult and thus led to so many casualties.
Even the fire extinguishers and hydrants at these two places were not in working condition, the petition stated.
The petition was filed on January 2 and will come up for hearing in due course once the court opens post vacations on January 4.
Read the Petition Here