JORHAT, Feb 19 - Several files and three computers were severely damaged today in a mysterious fire that broke out in the Development branch office room within the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner�s office buildings.
A district administration source said that smoke coming out from the room number 55 housing the Development branch in the first floor of the new building was reportedly spotted by an employee of the Deputy Commissioner�s office at around 11 am today.
The source said that he informed the authorities about the smoke and thereafter fire tenders, police personnel and senior administration officials arrived at the site and found that smoke was coming out from burnt materials inside the room and fire had almost extinguished.
The timing of fire in the room and the cause of the fire is not yet known. Today being a holiday there was no rush in the Deputy Commissioner�s office.
The source said that from preliminary investigation it has been found that three computers and several files related to Mising Autonomous Council, City Infrastructure Development and holding of Panchayat elections were destroyed.
Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged at the Jorhat Police Station and the Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni A Korati has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and police investigation was on. Additional Deputy Commissioner Tapan Gohain has been directed to conduct the probe.
A highly-placed district administration source told this newspaper that it is most likely that a file relating to a inquiry report submited by PWD (State Roads) on charges of using inferior quality materials by a private contractor in the construction of a drain along the Zehiruddin Ahmed Path (formerly Head Post Office Road) was in the room number 55.
The previous Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Narayan Konwar after receiving a complaint from rhe Jorhat district unit of AJYCP last year about using of old materials in the construction had asked the PWD ( State Roads) to look into the allegations.