Mumbai Pubs Blame Each Other Over Kamala Mills Fire That Killed 14

Mumbai: A blame game has erupted between the two pubs that had erected illegal structures at the Kamala Mills Compound in Mumbai leading to a massive fire on Friday that killed 14 people. The police are on the lookout for the management of 1Above who claim they are being targeted as the owners of the adjacent pub are influential.

The police, after recording statements of survivors of the fire believe the fire started at 1Above pub which the management denies and blames the adjacent Mojo's Bistro for the blaze. The management of 1Above wrote to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Mumbai Police Commissioner and civic body chief alleging a conspiracy against them.

In the letter released by the management of 1Above pub, it said, "We are innocent and we have done nothing and want you to investigate the matter thoroughly and arrest the real wrongdoers ie Mojo's Bistro. However, these culprits are not even booked under the FIR and are running scot-free. We are not going to simply allow a false case to come on us. The case is to be transferred to CBI for independent and unbiased investigation. The concerned police station is linked in destroying the evidence on site and making false reports."

"We are not absconding and we are ready and willing to cooperate to the investigation wherever the true and fair investigation is to be proceeded. However, the investigation is on wrong and incorrect track which needs to be corrected by an independent Investigating Agency viz. CBI or some Investigating Agency of high level, otherwise the wrong-doers will skip and we innocent people will be wrongly booked. The police would illegally frame us and trying to arrest us wrongly," it added.

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But Mojo's Bistro said not a single death took place on their premises because rules were followed. One of the partners of Mojo's Bistro in a statement said, "The Staff was trained a month back for basic first aid, CPR, and fire drills and that was the primary reason why the staff was able to locate the building fire exits and evacuate guests to safety, without any injuries or casualties."

Meanwhile, the BMC is continuing demolition of illegal structures across the city which early investigations suggest are responsible for Friday's deaths.

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Continuing on Sunday, 201 illegal structures were demolished after 314 illegal structures were demolished on Saturday. The Mumbai Police arrested two relatives of the owners of 1Above pub as the accused themselves continue to evade arrest.

Aditya, one of the relative who were arrested and released on bail said, "I am a relative of the owners of '1Above' restaurant. We have no connection with the restaurant. Don't know why we were arrested I have no idea where the owners are."