All aspects including sabotage angle will be investigated while ascertaining the cause of massive fire that broke out in Jharkhand’s new Vidhan Sabha Bhavan at Kute village under Dhurwa police station area late on Wednesday evening before the start of the new Session.

State Fire officer, Bandhu Oraon said, “Prima facie it appears that sabotage is behind the fire incident. The fire did not break out due to short circuit of electricity wires. In short circuit there is one fire point, but the fire at new Assembly building was caused due to several fire points.” The Fire officer further claimed that it appears that ‘intentional motive’ of anti-social element cannot be ruled out behind the fire incident.

The fire, which occurred at West Wing of the new Assembly building spread to first and second floor. Sources said that due to fire, the Assembly building incurred huge damages as sitting area of Opposition members, media persons were gutted.

All other furnishings, including chair, tables, and ceilings, kept at four places were burnt to ashes. On Thursday after the firing incident, the administration sprang into action as members of State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) accompanied by senior police officers carried out probe ascertaining the cause of fire.

Officials from Assembly Secretariat and State Fire office were not allowed to enter the premises when probe team was inside.

Sources said that Oraon who reached the Assembly building to ascertain the fire too had to wait for long hours outside the premises.

The fire that broke out at 7.30 pm took firefighters more than four hours to douse the flames. The caretakers of the building first noticed the fire and informed the officials of Ram Kripal Constructions Private Limited, the company building the Assembly. Then the Jagannathpur police station and the fire brigade were informed.

Meanwhile, the Assembly secretariat has demanded a high level probe in this incident. Mahendra Prasad, the secretary of Jharkhand Assembly said, “We have recommended the government to carry out in-depth investigation in the fire incident. Prima facie we have come to know that no files or important documents were gutted in the fire incident.”

Former Minister in Raghubar Das’ cabinet Saryu Roy who is contesting election against Das from Jamshedpur East has demanded a CBI probe in the fire incident. Roy said, “This is not a simple fire incident. We demand CBI probe to ascertain the truth behind the incident.” Roy also said that the new Assembly building had several constructional flaws; the construction company (Ram Kripal Constructions Private Limited) urged the State government to inaugurate the building by the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi without completing 30 per cent construction work.

On September this year, Jharkhand finally received its own Assembly building, 19 years after the State was carved out of Bihar.

The three-storied building, constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The state-of-art structure, which has come up on 39 acres, has 57,220 square metres of built-up area. The edifice has a spectacular 37-metre-tall dome.