Jeypore: Scores of old office files and records were reduced to ashes after a fire broke out at the office of deputy registrar of cooperative societies (DRCS) Monday morning in Koraput district.
The incident is being viewed as an attempt to destroy evidences of corruption as no other room of the office was affected, except the record room on the second floor.
Several important files of Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri districts related to loan fraud, illegal posting and promotion and unlawful paddy procurement were stored in the room. This apart, service records of some employees’ along with documents related to cooperative societies and LAMPS of undivided Koraput district, which were kept in the record room were also gutted, it was learnt.
On being alerted, firemen arrived at the spot and took over two hours to douse the flames.
DRCS Bhaktabandhu Sahoo said he cannot say anything about the cause of the mishap. On being questioned as to how only the record room was gutted, the DRCS said he recently took charge and doesn’t know much about the status of the office records.
Fire officer in-charge Kumid Chandra Samal said the record room was full of smoke when he arrived with the team. The firemen had to break the door to fight the fire. The reason of fire would be known after a probe, he added.
Apart from the files, office furniture and some television sets were also destroyed in the incident.
Locals have alleged that someone has intentionally torched the room to erase evidence of corruption. They have demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
Some DRCS officials, however, blamed short circuit as a reason behind the incident. PNN