Mumbai's Kamala Mills tragedy: More names to be added in FIR; 1 lakh reward for info on pub owners

A probe report has said that flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the massive fire in the Kamala Mills Compound on December 29.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police, which is investigating the tragic fire at two restro-bars in Kamala Mills Compound on December 29, is likely to add more names to the list of accused in the FIRs filed in connection with the case.

According to ANI, the Mumbai Police is planning to include more names in the FIRs after it came to light the flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the massive fire in the Kamala Mills Compound that claimed 14 lives on December 29.

The Mumbai Police is also mulling addition of some new sections of the Indian Penal Code against those accused in the case, said ANI.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade, in its preliminary investigation report, had said that the fire probably started at Mojo's and spread to the adjacent rooftop pub "1 Above".

Inquiry Committee report, which was submitted to the Municipal Commissioner, concluded that fire started from the pub 'Mojo's Bistro' and not from '1Above' as believed earlier.

Most of the victims were trapped in the toilet of the pub and died of suffocation, the Mumbai Police had said earlier.

"It was revealed from most of the eyewitnesses that hookah was served at Mojo's restaurant at the time of fire... There is every possibility that during removal of lighted charcoal from the segree (stove) and or transferring it into Hookah or during the fanning of the charcoal the flying burning embers came in contact with the combustible curtains/ decorative material nearby and started the fire," the report stated.

The report has clarified that none of the two restaurants - Mojo's and 1 Above - had permissions to serve liquor and hookah but still they served them.

Although there was an emergency exit, the pub staff seemed to be unaware of it, it said.

Beer kegs near the exit path also blocked the escape and the kegs eventually exploded and escalated the fire, the report said.

Use of bamboo and cloth to make the roof led to the quick spreading of the fire, while wind velocity and direction were the major contributors too, it said.

Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said the action against illegal alterations and constructions at commercial establishments will continue.

"We will start taking action across the city against all commercial restaurants and pubs and those who have illegal alterations. They have respite for 15 days so that they have time to remove the illegal constructions on their own without damaging their reputation," he said. 

Rs 1 lakh reward for info on pub owners

Mumbai Police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to those providing information about the whereabouts of the owners of '1 Above' pub in the Kamala Mills Compound.

The pub owners, Kripesh Mansukhlal Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, have been absconding ever since a fire claimed 14 lives and injured over 30 others on December 29.

Also, posters of Sanghvi brothers, owners of '1 Above' restaurant and accused in Kamala Mills Fire Compound, have been pasted on their residential building gate in Mazgaon.

Mumbai: Wanted posters of Sanghvi brothers, owners of '1 Above' restaurant & accused in #KamalaMillsFire, pasted on their residential building gate in Mazgaon pic.twitter.com/01U4PODjdg — ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2018

An offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under sections 304, 337, 338, 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the three at the NM Joshi Marg Police Station following the incident.

A senior Mumbai Police official said that police teams were trying to track the three and a lookout notice had also been issued. 

(With PTI inputs)