Rajkot: Mahesh Bharwar is no longer just an ordinary tea seller in Rajkot. He has become the city’s hero. People from all over the city are visiting his small tea stall near the TRP Gaming Zone, which was burned to the ground on 25 May, killing at least 32 people. The toll could have been worse had it not been for civilian first responders like Bharwar.
“I was doing my evening tea rounds in the area when I saw smoke billowing from the gaming zone,” Bharwar told ThePrint, “I left my bike and kettle on the road and rushed to help inside. I didn’t think twice before jumping in.”
Along with a staff member from the TRP Gaming Zone, Bharwar helped people escape the fire, including catching those jumping from the second-floor windows or placing Go-Kart tires below to break their fall.
Bharwar’s heroic actions were captured on video, with the footage showing him wearing slippers and no protective gear, bravely helping people to safety. These videos are now going viral in Rajkot, and people are flocking to his humble roadside tea stall to shake hands with him, offer blessings, and click selfies.
Eyewitnesses claim that the inferno blazed for about 45 minutes before fire tenders reached the scene, making the rescue efforts of citizen first responders even more crucial in saving lives.
In the wake of this grim event that has wrought grief and also infuriated the city, stories of heroism like Bharwar’s offer a glimmer of hope for the people to cling to.
So far, the police have nabbed five of the gaming zone’s co-owners in connection with the tragedy, including Dhaval Thakkar, who was apprehended Tuesday in Rajasthan’s Abu Road, where he had reportedly absconded. Another owner, Prakash Hiran, booked under culpable homicide, has been reported missing by his family. A DNA test is being conducted to ascertain whether he is one of the victims of the tragedy as well.
Rajkot’s town planner MD Sagathiya was also arrested by the crime branch Wednesday.
Also Read: Everyone could’ve been saved’— grieving relatives question fire dept response in Rajkot tragedy
Survivor’s guilt
On 25 May, 18-year-old Prithviraj Singh Zala and his childhood friends Satyapal Singh Jadeja, and Shatrugan Singh Chudasma decided to travel 30 kilometres from their homes in Gondal for a fun-filled adventure at the TRP Gaming Zone in Rajkot. Only Zala emerged with his life. And though he claims to have saved six children, the loss of his friends has traumatised him.
The nightmare for Zala and his friends started almost immediately after they entered the bowling alley located on the second floor of the fibre-aluminium structure.
“Just as we reached and took a snap and posted on Instagram, smoke started coming in,” Zala recalled.
Despite people knowing that a small fire had been reported downstairs, no one took it seriously at first, assuming it would soon be controlled. But the situation escalated rapidly.
“Smoke had filled up the room and we couldn’t see anything. We were coughing and the exit stairs weren’t working,” Zala said. Instinctively he went to the window, kicked it open, and jumped to safety.
“I kept waiting for my friends. They were right behind me, but they never came,” Zala said with a numb look on his face.
After escaping, Zala didn’t abandon the scene. “I saw an older man, probably in his 40s, throwing kids out of the window. I caught them,” he said. “And then there were explosions, after which the place came crumbling down.”
Now, he is struggling to cope with the loss of his two closest friends. Zala said his doctor has prescribed anti-anxiety pills, but he hasn’t slept a wink since the incident.
He couldn’t identify the older man who was rescuing the children. One of the victims of the fire in that age group was 40-year-old Sunil Thakkar, survived by his young son and wife, but it hasn’t been ascertained if he was the rescuer. When shown a picture of Thakkar, Zala said he was “not sure”.
In response to the tragedy, the Gujarat government has sealed all gaming zones operating without fire NOCs or necessary licences in the state. FIRs may be filed against such establishments now, said sources in the police.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)