Rajkot fire tragedy: Another game zone partner held; one accused died in blaze, say police

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The Gujarat police have arrested one more partner of the Rajkot-based TRP game zone where a fire last week killed 27 persons, while another accused died in the blaze, officials said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI.

The total number of arrests in connection with the Rajkot fire tragedy has now gone up to five, according to police.

Kiritsinh Jadeja, a partner in Raceway Enterprises, which operated the game zone, was arrested from Rajkot-Kalavad road on Tuesday night, Rajkot Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Parthrajsinh Gohil told PTI.

Jadeja is among six partners of the TRP game zone named as accused in the Rajkot fire tragedy and booked under various Indian Penal Code provisions, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, reported PTI.

"We arrested accused Kiritsinh Jadeja near Rajkot last night, taking the total number of arrests made in the case so far to five," Gohil told PTI.

"Out of six persons named in the FIR, one Prakash Hiran has died in the fire. During examination, the DNA sample of one of the deceased matched with that of Hiran's kin, confirming his death," the official said, reported PTI.

The police had earlier arrested Yuvrajsinh Solanki, Rahul Rathod, Dhaval Thakkar, all game zone partners, and its manager Nitin Jain, as per officials, reported PTI.

The accused have been booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 337 (causing hurt by an act that endangers the life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt to a person by doing an act that endangers their life or personal safety) and 114 (someone present when offence is committed).

The blaze at the game zone on May 25 claimed 27 lives, with most of the victims charred beyond recognition.

Samples of all the deceased and their kin were collected for DNA analysis and sent for a forensic examination to Gandhinagar.

As many as 25 bodies have so far been identified and handed over to the relatives, officials said.

(With inputs from PTI)