Rajkot fire tragedy: 27 victims identified through DNA tests

Rajkot, May 30 (IANS): Following the fire incident at TRP gaming zone in Rajkot, authorities identified 27 victims through DNA matching.

With the bodies charred beyond recognition, the state government had to call in a forensic laboratory to identify the victims through DNA profiling.

Officials said, “For those whose family members were missing, disaster management and police teams made lists at the incident site. Throughout the night of May 25, as the bodies were found, they were taken to the civil hospital for an autopsy and DNA sampling. Samples of the victims and their families were sent to FSL Gandhinagar by air ambulance for comparison. Because multiple family members were reporting the same people missing, there were initially duplicate or similar names. After verification, the final list of deceased victims was established, confirming the death of 27 people, whose bodies were handed over to their closest relatives.

Officials said misleading reports about burn victims being treated or dying in private hospitals had been debunked by statements from hospital authorities and videos posted on social media.

“A complaint filed by Hiteshbhai alias Vijaybhai Labhshankar Pandya regarding the disappearance of his nephew and two other children was found to be false, resulting in an FIR against him under Section 211 of the IPC,” officials said.

Each victim was assigned a Deputy Mamlatdar and a PSI to assist their families from the time the bodies were handed over to the final rites, and to complete the process of assistance from the CM Relief Fund and PM Relief Fund, officials added.

“FSL teams worked around the clock to match the DNA samples of the deceased with those of their families. Currently, no family has filed a complaint regarding missing members, and all 27 bodies have been handed over to their families,” the officials said, adding that they have designated contact points and telephone numbers if a person was still missing after the fire.

In case of missing members, families are requested to contact Rajkot City Police Commissioner at 83209 65606 or 281 245 7777 or SIT Chairman Bharat B. Basiya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Crime from Rajkot, at 90336 90990.

“Other contacts include MR Gondaliya, SIT Member, Police Inspector, DCB Police Station at 96876 54989, SM Jadhja, Police Inspector, B Division Police Station at 97149 00997, RH Zala, Sub Inspector of Police , LCB Zone-2 at 98258 55350, DC, Sub-Inspector of Police, DCB Police Station at 80000 40050, DCB Police Station at 0281 2444165, Rajkot Taluka Police Station at 0281 2563340 and Control Room of the Rajkot city police at 0281 2457777 (100),” officials said.