Police submit Gul Plaza fire case charge sheet to court, 87 witnesses included

Police have submitted the charge sheet in the Gul Plaza fire case to the court, naming the market’s association as primarily responsible for the incident.

A deadly fire that ripped through Gul Plaza, a popular three-storey shopping mall in the port city, on January 17 killed more than 70 people and exposed serious safety failures in the country’s largest city.

The police have included 87 witnesses in the charge sheet and have also raised questions regarding the fire safety arrangements at Gul Plaza.

According to the police charge sheet, no negligence was found on the part of the KMC, Fire Brigade, or Civil Defence. During the investigation, various pieces of evidence, including CCTV footage, were obtained.

The forensic report found no explosive material among the items examined, nor were any traces of flammable liquid detected. However, the report pointed to the presence of residual particles left behind after burning in some of the items.

The police charge sheet also refers to the alleged negligence of the Gul Plaza management and the fire safety arrangements at the market.

Statements regarding the safety measures in the shops and the building have also been included in the charge sheet.

The police submitted the charge sheet to the court for further legal proceedings and judicial orders.