A massive fire broke out in the six-storey Satpura Bhawan, where half a dozen departments of the Madhya Pradesh government are located, resulting in significant damage to official records, computers, furniture and other property. The fire started on the third floor of the building, where the Tribal Welfare Department is located, before gradually spreading through the rest of the building. Firefighters were unable to control the blaze for several hours, and the fire services of the Airport Authority of India were summoned. However, the state government later sought the help of IAF helicopters to douse the flames.
The Satpura Bhawan is located in front of the Madhya Pradesh Secretariat Vallabh Bhawan. It is believed that all official records, especially those of the Tribal Welfare Department, were destroyed in the inferno. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but initial reports suggest that a blast in an air conditioner may have caused it.
State Home Minister Narottam Mishra confirmed that a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the blaze, while the five-member panel, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Rajesh Rajora will conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter and submit a report to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
However, the Congress has raised concerns about the fire, alleging that the incident could be a planned conspiracy to destroy files and other documents. State media in-charge K.K. Mishra said: Today, (Congress General Secretary) Priyanka Gandhi started the election campaign in MP. A fire broke out at Satpura Bhawan. It is an attempt to destroy documents to hide the corruption of BJP government. During a press conference two weeks back, I had mentioned the BJP would try destroy files to hide its corruption, and fire incidents would start in government offices, and now it happened.
