A video showing a fire department vehicle spraying water around the residence of a Gujarat MLA in Dahod district has triggered a debate over the alleged use of an emergency vehicle for a non-emergency purpose. The fire engine, belonging to the Devgadh Baria Municipality, was seen at the residence of MLA Bachubhai Khabad in Pipero village of Dhanpur taluka. Following the incident, Rs 2,700 was collected from Khabad as applicable charges.

Devgadh Baria Municipal Chairperson Ghamesh Kalal said the fire engine was dispatched after he received a call from the MLA requesting its presence. Kalal said he initially believed there could be a serious situation and immediately contacted the fire department. However, after the vehicle reached the residence, firefighters informed their officer that they had been asked to carry out a specific task.

According to Kalal, the fire officer instructed the firefighters not to carry out the requested task and subsequently informed him about the situation. Kalal said he also directed that the work should not be performed and that the expenses incurred for the fire engine's trip should be recovered. The incident later came to public attention after a video from the location circulated on social media.

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Devgadh Baria Municipal Fire Officer Mayur Singh Chauhan said he had received instructions from his senior officer to dispatch a fire engine after being informed about an incident in Pipero village. Chauhan said that when the vehicle arrived at the MLA's residence, associates of Khabad asked the firefighters to wash the house and specifically directed them to begin the work from the front.

Chauhan said his staff contacted him after they realised that the vehicle had been called for house-washing rather than an emergency response. He then instructed the team to stop the operation and said applicable charges were collected for the vehicle's deployment. The fire officer described the call as a hoax and said officials would investigate the circumstances surrounding it.

The incident has drawn attention to the use of fire department vehicles, which are primarily intended for emergency responses such as fires and rescue operations. While officials stopped the requested activity and recovered the applicable charges, further investigation is expected to establish how the fire engine was dispatched and who was responsible for requesting the service. The video has meanwhile prompted discussion over the appropriate use of municipal emergency resources.

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