On July 11, mysterious fire broke out in the two-storey wooden annexe to the Secretariat in Srinagar. The fire had broken out around 9 A.M. It was generally believed that the fire was caused by electric short circuit. The same day and the following day, Forensic Science Laboratory officials took five samples from the site of the fire as they were asked to prepare a report on the fire. The report says that traces of Kerosene oil have been found after conducting the forensic test on both of the samples collected on the day of incident and on the following day. This obviously rules out the possibility of short circuit of electricity being the cause for fire.
Presence of Kerosene oil in forensic samples naturally speaks of sabotage and conspiracy of blowing up the records preserved in the annexe. The onus will first come to the guards who are deployed for the security of the Secretariat. Why should the fire occur at the odd hour of 9 A.M? What was the purpose of saboteurs in destroying the official records of 6 Departments and 300 service books of employees. Common sense says that the saboteurs wanted to destroy some sensitive record and they have succeeded in their design. Is there any mechanism with the Government to rebuild that record?
Again, the incident is a warning that the security of the Secretariat is vulnerable and the saboteurs can strike at will. Naturally, the security agency of the State has to be beefed up and foolproof security of the Secretariat has to be ensured. Those charged with dereliction of duty must face the consequences and lapses like these should never be allowed to happen.
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