Vadakara, First Published Dec 21, 2021, 6:55 AM IST
Vadakara: MLA KK Rema’s criticism of the police investigation into the Vadakara Taluk office fire. MLA KK Rema alleged that the move by the police was to expedite the investigation by blaming a mentally ill person. Despite receiving an earlier complaint, the police did not investigate and committed a serious misconduct. The MLA alleged that the probe team went to Andhra Pradesh to find out the background of the accused without even stopping to gather scientific evidence.
However, the police investigation has found that there is a fire case in Andhra Pradesh against Satish Narayana who was arrested in the case. The Rural SP said they were collecting information on whether he had been convicted in the case. The police are preparing to file a chargesheet soon citing the criminal background of the accused. But it is clear from the words that the MLA’s decision was to strengthen the allegation that there was suspicion in the incident.
Where important government offices are located, there is no security guard or CCTV. According to police, the building was set on fire by an Andhra native who had earlier set fire to two other buildings. It has a reputation for being believable. There was a serious lapse on the part of the police who, despite receiving complaints in those cases, refused to investigate. The taluk office building was still open at the time of the fire. It is not clear how that happened.
An effective investigation is needed. The MLA also demanded that the government be prepared to take action in the event of a fall. The fire caused a loss of Rs 3 crore. It is a serious problem affecting people from 28 villages in the taluk. The MLA also asked the police to clarify on what basis the taluk office had charged the Andhra native with arson. Asked why there were no CCTV or security personnel in the building, the MLA reiterated that the government should take action and a judicial inquiry is needed.
Meanwhile, the Vadakara Taluk office, which was destroyed in the fire, has temporarily relocated to another building. From today, the Vadakara Taluk office is functioning on the second floor of the Sub-Treasury office building near the building where the fire broke out. Most of the office facilities are set up here.
Helpdesk has also started working to allay the suspicions of the people. The helpdesk is located near the old building. Contact Helpdesk from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. People can contact the Temporary Office and the Helpdesk for services and complaints, or by contacting a landline number.
Last Updated Dec 21, 2021, 6:55 AM IST
.