Rajkot fire tragedy: 27 victims identified through DNA tests

Rajkot, May 30 (IANS) In the aftermath of the fire incident at the TRP Game Zone in Rajkot, authorities have identified 27 victims through DNA matching.

Since the bodies were charred beyond recognition, the state government had to take the help of a forensic science lab to identify the victims through DNA profiling.

Officials said, “For those whose family members were missing, disaster management and police teams compiled lists at the incident site. Throughout the night of May 25, as bodies were recovered, they were taken to the Civil Hospital for postmortem and DNA sampling. Samples from the victims and their families were sent to FSL Gandhinagar via air ambulance for matching. Due to multiple family members reporting the same missing individuals, there were initially duplicate or similar names. After verification, the final list of deceased victims was compiled, confirming the deaths of 27 individuals, whose bodies were handed over to their next of kin.”

The officials said that misleading information about burn victims being treated or deceased in private hospitals was debunked through statements from hospital authorities and videos released on social media.

“A complaint by Hiteshbhai alias Vijaybhai Labhshankar Pandya about his nephew and two other children being missing was found to be false, resulting in an FIR against him under IPC Section 211," said the officials.

Each victim was assigned a Deputy Mamlatdar and a PSI to assist their families from the moment the bodies were handed over until the final rites, and to complete the process for CM Relief Fund and PM Relief Fund assistance, the officials added.

“FSL teams worked round the clock to match the DNA samples of the deceased with their families. Currently, there are no pending complaints from any family regarding missing members, and all 27 bodies have been handed over to their families," the officials said, adding that they have designated contact points and phone numbers if any individual is still missing after the fire incident.

In case of missing members, the families have urged to contact the Rajkot City Police Commissioner at 83209 65606 or 281 245 7777 or the SIT Chairperson Bharat B. Basiya, Assistant Police Commissioner, Crime, Rajkot City, at 90336 90990.

"Other contacts include SIT member M.R. Gondaliya, Police Inspector, DCB Police Station at 96876 54989, S.M. Jadhja, Police Inspector, B Division Police Station at 97149 00997, R.H. Zala, Police Sub-Inspector, LCB Zone-2 at 98258 55350, D.C. Sakariya, Police Sub-Inspector, DCB Police Station at 80000 40050, DCB Police Station at 0281 2444165, Rajkot Taluka Police Station at 0281 2563340, and the Rajkot City Police Control Room at 0281 2457777 (100),” said the officials.

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