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Arpora Fire Case: Ex-Panchayat Secy Arrested
16 Jan
Summary
- Former panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar arrested in fire incident.
- 25 people lost their lives in the Arpora blaze.
- Government suspended three officials, including Bagkar, after the fire.
Raghuvir Bagkar, the former secretary of the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat, was apprehended on Friday by Anjuna police. His arrest is linked to the fatal fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, an incident that resulted in the deaths of 25 individuals. Bagkar had been evading authorities since December 30, 2025, when his anticipatory bail plea, along with that of the sarpanch, was denied by the Mapusa sessions court.
Following the rejection of his bail application by the local court, Anjuna police intensified efforts to locate Bagkar. Earlier, on December 7, the government had suspended three key officials in the wake of the blaze. These included Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, the then director/additional director of panchayats, Shamila Monteiro, the former member secretary of the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB), and Bagkar himself. Subsequently, Bagkar's services were terminated by the government.
The Goa state pollution control board also took action, suspending two of its staff members. The magisterial inquiry into the incident yielded a comprehensive report, comprising 108 pages of findings and over 500 pages of annexures and statements. This report put forth 60 recommendations for the state government to implement preventative measures against similar fire incidents.
