Aldona panchayat fire destroys old
records, foul play suspected
MAPUSA
Old panchayat records were reduced to ashes after a store room of Aldona Panchayat caught fire early Friday morning.
Initially, it was suspected that short circuit could be the likely cause of fire, but later some bottles apparently smelling of kerosene found in the vicinity has propounded the theory of foul play.
A police complaint suspecting foul play has been filed by Sarpanch, Trisha Naik.
Fire officials rushed to the site after the Mapusa Fire Station received a call stating that smoke was coming out from the panchayat office at around 7.30 am.
After reaching the spot, the firemen broke into the store room, on the ground floor and doused the flames preventing it from spreading any further.
The Aldona Panchayat office is on the first floor.
“All old records consisting of vouchers, house tax, construction files, etc, from 1971 up to 2006 stored in the store room have been completely destroyed in the fire,” Aldona Sarpanch Trisha Naik informed The Goan.
She said some bottles which reeked of kerosene and burnt cloths dipped in kerosene have been found in one corner of the store room.
“It appears someone has deliberately set fire to the store room. The glass panel of the window to the store room has been found broken,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mapusa Police pressed a dog squad into service and conducted a reconnaissance of the area soon after a complaint was filed by the sarpanch.
Police have seized some bottles and cloths from the room.
According to the sarpanch, an official of the electricity department who checked the wiring of the store room has ruled out the cause of fire as short circuit.
Mapusa Police is investigating the matter further.
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P’yat plans CCTV cameras
THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Stung by the fire incident, the Aldona Panchayat members met and decided to hence forward scan all the copies of the documents of the panchayat. The members also decided to install CCTV cameras in the building.
Aldona Sarpanch Trisha Naik convened a meeting of the panch members which met at around 3 pm on Friday.
Sources disclosed that the sarpanch apprised the members about the fire incident. She also told the members that an FIR has been lodged against unknown persons.
The sarpanch was yet to give a statement to the police but sources in the panchayat said some mischevious elements may have carried the attack to eliminate past record.
“We can’t understand who must be behind it and what must be the purpose of carrying the act,” a panch member said.
