Magisterial Enquiry Ordered into Fire Incident at Municipal Council Office Kishtwar
Kishtwar, March 23: The District Administration of Kishtwar has ordered a Magisterial Enquiry into the fire incident that occurred at the premises of the Municipal Council Kishtwar during the intervening night of March 10 and 11, 2026, which caused damage to parts of the building and certain official records.
According to a public notice issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, the incident resulted in damage to sections of the municipal office structure and important documents maintained in the office. In order to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the fire, the District Administration has initiated a formal enquiry.
The enquiry will be conducted by M. Tarees Lone, JKAS, who is presently serving as the Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ADM) Kishtwar and has been appointed as the Enquiry Officer for the case.
Through the public notice, the administration has appealed to the general public to come forward with any information, evidence, documents, photographs, videos, or any other material related to the incident. Citizens possessing relevant information have been requested to submit the same before the undersigned to assist in the investigation.
Authorities have also informed that individuals can either appear in person or submit written information/documents at the office of the Enquiry Officer within seven days from the date of issuance of the notice during official working hours.
The administration has assured that the identity of individuals providing information will be kept confidential, if they so desire, in accordance with established rules.
Officials stated that the notice has been issued for wide publicity to ensure transparency and fairness in the enquiry process, and to gather all possible information related to the incident so that the exact cause of the fire and any possible lapses can be determined.
Copies of the notice have also been forwarded to the District Information Officer, Tehsildar Kishtwar, and the Station House Officer Kishtwar for necessary information and action, including publication in leading newspapers.
The incident had earlier raised concern among residents regarding the damage to government property and official records, and the administration’s decision to initiate a magisterial probe is expected to help establish accountability and prevent such incidents in the future.
