Mysuru: Following the major fire accident at a restobar in Dattagalli on June 15, five Excise Department personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Excise (Dy. SP) were suspended yesterday on charges of dereliction of duty. 

Those suspended are Dy.SP H.K. Ramesh, Mysuru Zone-3 Excise Inspector Ashish, Excise Sub-Inspectors Ranganath and Dileep Kumar and Excise Constable Rajesh. 

The suspension order came in the wake of the visit of Urban Development Minister Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah to the city on Tuesday. The order was issued by the State Excise Commissioner, Bengaluru and took immediate effect. 

The Maara Restobar had been operating a dining area for customers on the rooftop of the building’s second floor. The roof was covered with hay and tarpaulin supported by bamboo poles, which is believed to have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire that reportedly originated from an electrical short circuit. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Excise Deputy Commissioner (Mysuru Urban) S. Nagarajappa clarified that permission had not been granted to serve liquor on the rooftop. The liquor licence, he said, was issued only for the ground and first floors. 

In the fire accident, two cooks working in the restobar kitchen, Saahin (26) and Prakash (24), were charred to death, while six others, including restobar owner and small-time actor Preetham Puneeth, sustained burn injuries. 

Kuvempunagar Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR), naming Preetham as the prime accused, building owner Keshavmurthy as the second accused and others as additional accused.