Several properties, including important documents and files were burnt to cinders in an inferno that engulfed the CID Office building at Babupara in Imphal West early Monday, according to sources. Chief Minister N Biren Singh, however, said all important data are saved digitally.
“The fire damaged around 75 per cent of the old CID office building but with timely response from the Manipur Fire Service, no further damage was caused to the adjacent buildings of CRPF barrack and Southern Block Old Secretariat building,” Biren informed the House at the ongoing second session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The offices of IG (Intelligence), SP VIP Security, SP Crime Branch, SP Technical and a branch of Cyber crime office are located inside the CID Office complex.
The chief minister also said most of the data stored at the CID office, including for Crime Branch; Crime Branch (Technical); Crime Branch (Security); Cyber Crime had already been converted to digital formats except for photographs of some prisoners. The photograph of those in jail will be taken again, he added.
Apart from the documents and files, several properties were burnt to ashes, but the extent of the damage to properties is yet to be ascertained and there were no reports of any casualties. While the cause of the fire that occurred around 1.45 am is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected to have been caused by short circuit, according to the Manipur Fire Service.
A personnel posted at the Arms Kote of SP VIP Security said the fire may have started by an electric short-circuit inside a room located at the Fingerprint section under SP Crime Branch. He first saw the fire around 2 am at the mentioned room, he said. He also heard someone shouting and raising the alarm from 1st MR, he added.
Around four-five live bombs, which were kept at the Security Arms Kote, also exploded, the Fire Service said.
The Imphal Fire service said they received information of the fire at 2.30 am. When a team of the Fire service arrived at the site, most of the offices were already burnt down, it said.
As they could not bring the inferno under control, additional fire tenders were called in from Thoubal, Yairipok, Bishnupur and Kangpokpi Fire Stations. The efforts to extinguish the fire continued even after 8 am.
Even after the fire was doused, the details of the remaining arms and ammunition at the Arms Kote and the extent of damage are yet to be ascertained, as it is unsafe to enter due to the residual heat of the fire.
Although all the documents, files and computers have been burnt to cinders, the highly expensive equipment of the Bomb Disposal Squad kept under the SP Technical were found untouched by the fire, they said.
However, some of the arms and ammunition, which were handed over by the UG cadres while surrendering to the authorities, have been reportedly damaged. A list of the damaged arms is also yet to be received by the Fire services. It is also learnt that a signal jammer and a metal detector were damaged by the fire.
At the CID office, four officials namely IGP (Int) Nishit kumar Ujjwal; SP (CID Technical) Bembem Nongthombam; , SP (CID Security) Dr B Dhanapyari and SP (CID Crime Branch) Joyce Lalremmawi were assigned posts, as per sources.
WATCH: #Breaking News | Fire breaks out at CID office at Babupara Imphal West
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