After removing the Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) following the violence in Baloda bazar, the Government has started taking strict action against the rioters. Those who caused the disturbance and set fire to the Collector and SP offices are being systematically apprehended. The police are continuously using video footage and rigorously interrogating detained individuals to identify and apprehend others involved in the arson and vandalism. According to police information, 83 people have been sent to jail so far, and others in custody are being questioned.

Their identification was based on video footage. After interrogation and investigation, 200 people have been detained, and around 500 more are being sought. Home Minister Vijay Sharma stated that the violence was orchestrated. A beautiful building was set on fire, but what was achieved by this? He mentioned that the rioters would be made to compensate for the damage. According to reports, revenue records were not burned, but police records were destroyed along with police setup records. The history of criminals has been turned to ashes, including a 12-year-old daily log. A Congress investigation team will visit Balodabazar for further inquiry on Friday. According to Baloda bazar police, most of the SP office was engulfed in flames during the arson incident. The record room suffered the most damage, with 90% of the logs from seven police stations and four outposts burned.

 

All criminal records stored at the SP office were reduced to ashes. According to Balodabazar police, documents in the Reader Room, DSB, DRB branch, Steno Room, and OM branch of the SP office were burned. Additionally, computers in the Steno and Reader Room were also destroyed. Police stated that many documents were also damaged by water used to extinguish the fire. The police are sorting through the soaked documents to retain those that are still intact. The hard disks of the burned computers are also being examined. It is noteworthy that copies of FIRs or other records prepared at police stations are sent to the SP and IG offices. Efforts are underway to recover the burned and damaged documents from the respective police stations and contact the IG office. A forensic expert team from Raipur reached Balodabazar on Tuesday to investigate the arson incident. The team was trying to determine what kind of inflammable substances, along with petrol, were used by the rioters to set fire to the Collectorate and SP buildings. They are also investigating the cause of the fire spread.

 

Newly appointed Senior Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal visited the Collectorate office to boost the morale of the employees. He met with Public Works Department workers on-site and took security-related information from the Home Guard stationed in the guard room. During the conversation, he immediately called the Additional Collector to increase the number of guards. Vijay Agrawal inspected various sections around the complex and checked on the police personnel on duty. He instructed that no unknown person should be allowed entry at night without an ID card. It is noteworthy that after the vandalism and arson by antisocial elements on June 10, the renovation of the Collectorate building is underway. Officers, employees, and workers are deployed 24 hours. The interior renovation of various branches of the SP office and the excise department, which suffered the most damage, is progressing rapidly. Along with listing documents, efforts are being made to quickly restore office functions. The interior decoration of the SP chamber in the SP office is complete.

 

To expedite the exterior renovation of the building, senior officials from the Public Works Department and other related departments are personally overseeing the work. Efforts are being made to complete the renovation of the Collectorate building as quickly as possible using sufficient human resources and necessary machinery. Almost all offices operating in the joint district office building have resumed normal operations, and daily office work is running smoothly. SP Vijay Agrawal inspected the SP office to assess the damage caused by the incident. He stated that he has joined as the office following state government orders. After taking charge, he discussed the entire incident with his colleagues to gather complete information.