UP: 'State administration responsible for Victoria Park fire'

Holding the state administration responsible for the fire at Victoria Park here in 2006, the then SSP of Meerut Rajiv Sabharwal said the state government was responsible for all the arrangements of the fair and that police had no role in it.

Meerut: Holding the state administration responsible for the fire at Victoria Park here in 2006, the then SSP of Meerut Rajiv Sabharwal said the state government was responsible for all the arrangements of the fair and that police had no role in it.

Sabharwal, who is now the ATS Inspector General, said the state administration was responsible for giving permissions and making all other arrangements for the fair.

He told this to a panel probing the fire incident, said OP Sharma today who represents the fair organisers before the panel.

Sharma said the one-man commission, set up on the orders of Supreme court and headed by Justice SB Sinha, started its hearing around 11 am yesterday and continued till 9 pm.

The organisers asked around 50 questions to Sabharwal.

During the enquiry, Sabharwal said that he was transferred the next day of the incident so he will not be able to tell what happened after it.

Liaison officer of the Victoria Park, GP Srivastava said that hearing will continue today.

On April 10, 2006 a massive fire broke out during a fair at the Victoria Park here which claimed 65 lives and injured more than 100.

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