THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A fire broke out in the Protocol department at Secretariat despite the department coming under high security zone at 5 pm on Tuesday.

According to reports many files have got destroyed in the fire. Though short circuit is said to be reason, this the department where files that should be handed over to the NIA and ED, who are investigating the gold smuggling case, are kept.

The fire personnel have reached the office and put out the fire.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Chennithala said the fire in the high security zone is a sabotage. Valuable evidence in the gold smuggling case were destroyed with the knowledge of the chief minister. But Public administration department additional secretary P Honey said that important files are safe and the destroyed files pertain to room bookings.

BJP State president K Surendran also said that the incident was a sabotage and the government authorities had not given information on whether the files in the protocol department are safe or not.