Gujarat High Court Rebukes State Government Over Fatal Rajkot Gaming Zone Fire

In a scathing indictment of the state government’s negligence, the Gujarat High Court sharply criticized authorities following the tragic fire at a gaming zone in Rajkot, which claimed the lives of 28 individuals, including children. The court, expressing incredulity, exclaimed, “Were you asleep? We don’t trust the government anymore,” as reported by India Today. The blaze erupted at the TRP game zone in Rajkot’s Nana-Mava locality on Saturday evening, with initial investigations suggesting that welding work within the facility may have sparked the inferno.

The Rajkot Police swiftly took action, registering a First Information Report (FIR) against six partners of the game zone on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. While two individuals have been apprehended, the remaining four are currently at large. Among those arrested is Yuvrajsinh Solanki, a partner in the Raceway Enterprise, which operated the ill-fated gaming zone, along with the facility’s manager, Nitin Jain. The accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including culpable homicide, attempt to commit culpable homicide, and causing hurt endangering life or personal safety.

Furthermore, both the Central and state governments have announced ex gratia payments for the victims and their families. The Prime Minister’s Office declared a compensation of ₹2 lakh from the PM’s National Relief Fund for each deceased person, along with ₹50,000 for each injured individual. Similarly, the Gujarat government has pledged ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, underscoring the gravity of the tragic incident and the urgent need for accountability and redressal measures.

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