Fire at IAF office in New Delhi, important files, documents feared destroyed
According to the local authorities, the fire started on the fifth floor of the building.
(Web Desk) - A multi-storey building housing offices of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and several other government offices, caught fire on Wednesday, reported Radio Pakistan.
According to the local authorities, the fire started on the fifth floor of the building, sparking fears that several important files and documents may have been destroyed.
Proper investigation into the incident may determine whether the fire was intentionally set.
A building in #NewDelhi, housing an office of the Indian Air Force #IAF and several other government offices, caught fire on Wednesday, reported Radio Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/P8VBrqi2bo
— Regional Security Advisory (@regsecadvisory) March 6, 2019
Many government offices, including a branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian water and sanitation and forest ministries and its national disaster response force are housed in the building.
A sub-inspector of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) died during the incident as he inhaled smoke, local media reported. Besides, no casualties have been reported so far.
Indian officials said the fire was brought under control and cooling operation is underway. They said a short circuit could be the probable cause of the fire.
The incident has occurred amid recent escalation between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India while India has claimed of carrying out airstrikes in Pakistan on alleged terrorist camps, whereas Pakistan shot down two Indian fighter jets for violating its airspace.
Furthermore, Pakistan has rebutted Indian claims and maintained that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has played a pre-election stunt to acquire support of the general public of India by exploiting their patriotism.
India is holding a general election by May at a critical time, and analysts anticipate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist party aim to benefit from his aggressive response to a suicide bomb attack that killed 44 Indian paramilitary police in the Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) on February 14.
Importantly, the Indian government has not produced any evidence of killing militants or what weapons were used in the airstrikes.
Meanwhile, Indian opposition leaders appear to have gained strong public opinion after demanding evidence from the BJP on the airstrikes which many have been anticipating as ‘an inside job’ for gaining popularity in the upcoming polls.
