Arpora, Dec. 7 -- In the aftermath of a devastating fire at a restaurant-club in North Goa's Arpora that claimed at least 25 lives, Goa AAP president Amit Paleka on Sunday held the state government directly responsible for what he described as an "avoidable tragedy."

"I visited the hospital just now. Five people are under treatment there, one of them critical... 25 people have died," Palekar said, accusing the administration of allowing the club to operate illegally. "The manner in which the incident occurred, and the government admits that the club didn't have permission and was running illegally. So, was the administration sleeping? What is the value of human life in the eyes of the Goa BJP government?"

Palekar alleged that repeated w...