India, Dec. 27 -- A magisterial inquiry into the deadly fire at the Birch nightclub in Arpora, which claimed 25 lives, has flagged serious lapses by the village panchayat and other concerned authorities. The inquiry report, prepared by a committee headed by North Goa Collector Ankit Yadav, has been submitted to the state government. According to sources, the report noted that permissions were granted to the nightclub despite non-compliance with mandatory safety norms. The inquiry has also made around 60 recommendations, outlining corrective measures that the government should implement to prevent such incidents in the future.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Herald Goa....