Delhi hotel fire: Owner in custody as hunt for absconding manager intensifies
Forensic experts have collected samples from the site and are working to establish where the fire started and whether safety failures allowed it to spread so fatally. What preliminary findings have already revealed makes for grim reading.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsThe investigation into Wednesday's devastating fire at a bed-and-breakfast in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar, which killed 21 people, moved swiftly on Thursday as a court remanded the property's owner to four days' police custody and a manhunt got under way for the establishment's missing manager.
Lavkesh Bajaj, the owner of Flourish Stay, was produced before a court after Delhi Police registered a case against him under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, negligence endangering human life, causing grievous hurt through negligence, damage to property, and negligent conduct related to fire safety.
His manager, Jai Mishra, has not been seen since the fire broke out at around 8.45 am on Wednesday. Police say Bajaj himself told investigators that Mishra was responsible for the day-to-day running of the property, making him a central figure in the inquiry. Teams are now actively trying to trace him.
A catalogue of alleged violations
Forensic experts have collected samples from the site and are working to establish where the fire started and whether safety failures allowed it to spread so fatally. What preliminary findings have already revealed makes for grim reading.
Flourish Stay had reportedly been operating for seven to eight years without obtaining a mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Delhi Fire Services. The building had no designated fire exit. Perhaps most strikingly, the establishment had approval to run only six rooms but was operating approximately 26 at the time of the blaze.
These alleged violations are expected to sit at the heart of the prosecution's case as the investigation unfolds.
Foreign nationals among the dead
The fire, which broke out on Wednesday morning, trapped guests inside the building and prompted a large-scale rescue operation.
Of the 21 people who died, 12 were foreign nationals, who were reportedly staying at the hotel while accompanying relatives receiving medical treatment at hospitals nearby, a common arrangement in the area, which sits close to several major private hospitals.
Fifteen injured survivors are currently being treated at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket. Doctors said all admitted patients are stable, though six remain on ventilator support and are showing gradual signs of improvement.
City-wide crackdown ordered
The scale of the tragedy has prompted Delhi's authorities to act beyond the immediate case.
Following a high-level meeting convened by the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi announced the formation of a joint task force bringing together officials from the district administration, police and civic bodies. The task force has been mandated to carry out inspections of commercial establishments and lodging facilities across the capital.
Wahi made clear that properties found to be flouting safety regulations or operating without the necessary approvals would face immediate action, including the sealing of premises.
The fire is being described as one of the worst such disasters the city has seen in years. With the owner in custody, the manager still at large, and forensic work ongoing, the full picture of what went wrong, and who bears responsibility, is only beginning to emerge.
(With IANS inputs)