Two rooms containing revenue land records were gutted at the office of the Under Secretary, Revenue Department (Land Acquisition) section, in M.S. Building here on Saturday morning. Electronic goods and furniture were also destroyed.
According to officials, fire broke out on the 5th floor around 7.50 a.m. Two Fire Department personnel, who were deployed on the premises, raised an alarm. It took about an hour-and-a-half for two fire tenders to contain the blaze.
Basavaraju, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, said initial reports indicated that only additional copies of land acquisition proceedings and not original reports were gutted.
“There were some original documents in an almirah next door. Luckily, those were not damaged,” he said, adding that he has ordered a probe.
Initial investigation by the Fire Department found that the staff had forgotten to turn off the AC and computer switches, which could have led to the fire because of overheating.
Though investigators suspect that the fire was the result of a short circuit, the police and the Revenue Department have launched separate probes to ensure that it was not a sabotage attempt.
Initial reports indicate that only additional copies of land acquisition proceedings, and not the original reports, were destroyed
Basavaraju,Principal Secretary,
Revenue Department
‘Initial reports indicate that only additional copies of land records have been destroyed’
