THIRUVANANTHAPUTRAM: A fire at the Secretariat Protocol office paved way to further political controversies. The police and a special official team have started an investigation on the incident and will submit the initial investigation report by today evening. Forensic team appointed by Chief Secretary Biswas Mehta also joined the investigation team led by special cell SP Ajith.

The fire broke out soon after office hours on Tuesday. The investigation was handed over to the special team led by ADGP Manoj Abraham immediately after the incident. An official team led by the Disaster Management Authority Commission A Kaushik will also look into the sabotage attempt. The government had ordered a detailed investigation following the controversies after the blaze. The investigation team will be considering the allegation that the incident was a subversive act. Now, the officials reported short circuit as the reason for the blaze.

The BJP and the UDF alleged the incident to be a subversive act. The UDF and the BJP will be observing ‘black day’ and ‘protest day’ against the incident. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the fire had consumed the files relating to diplomatic gold smuggling case. The BJP will stage protest against the government sponsored blaze which led to the damaging of important official documents and the forceful removal and arrest of the party state president.

The fire broke out on the second floor of the sandwich block. The officials claimed that no documents related to gold smuggling case were damaged in the blaze, as the opposition alleges, instead a shelf in the political room that contained room booking files was destroyed. The officials also informed all files relating to the diplomatic gold smuggling are safe. The fire has consumed five bundles of files, gazettes and the cupboard. The opposition and the BJP has raised strong allegations that the fire was a sabotage attempt by the government to destroy all relevant documents that connect the convicts involved in the gold smuggling case with the CMO. The incident happened around 4.45pm in a closed room. The staff informed fire force and police immediately after they saw smoke emanating out of the room. By 5.00 pm the fire force unit from Chenkalchoola reached the spot and the fire was doused within half an hour.