Three arrested in Ahmedabad mill fire case

Gandhinagar, Nov 6 (IANS) Narol police has arrested three persons on charges of unauthorised construction and illegal storage of hazardous substances to endanger human lives in connection with the Wednesday's fire and blasts in a cotton mill premises in Ahmedabad, police said on Friday.The FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint by Ashish Yunusbhai Christian, son of Raginiben Christian, one of the 11 victims of the blast. Those arrested are Nanubhai Ghelabhai Bharwad, Pradeepbhai Revabhai Bharvad alias Buta Bharvad, owners of the Nanubhai estate, and Hetalbhai Girishbhai Sutaria, owner of Sahil Enterprise where the blasts occurred.The police slapped charges of culpable homicide, attempt to culpable homicide, negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substances, fire and explosive substances, mischief by fire, causing damage and endangering lives of others under the Indian Penal Code. The trio will be presented in a court on Friday.A major fire had engulfed a big building on November 4 morning following a massive blast in the Nanu Kaka estate on the Pirana Piplaj Road in Ahmedabad. The blast, believed to have been caused by some chemical reaction, started a series of blasts which later led to a massive fire that razed a major portion of the building. A roof had crashed, killing 11 persons and injuring another dozen-odd people.
--IANS amc/tsb