Twenty-One people were killed in the national capital after a devastating blaze tore through a hotel operating without a fire NOC in a congested bylane in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area. The Delhi Police has arrested theowner of Flourish Stay B&B, Lavkesh Bajaj, who claimed during the interrogation that he did not have the time to personally manage the premises and it was being done by another person, as reported by news agency ANI.
Lavkesh Bajaj, the accused in Delhi's Malviya Nagar hotel fire case.
Bajaj claimed he had delegated day-to-day operations of the establishment to "another person", who was handling billing, accounts and overall management, ANI reported, citing sources.
He also claimed that the structural changes, including an increase in room size and modifications, were suggested by the "another person," as per the report. Bajaj claimed that the "another person" had assured him that such arrangements were "routine" and that "everything works in Delhi," sources told the news agency.
Police and firefighters at the site after a fire broke out at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar area.
He is likely to be produced before a court on Thursday as the Delhi Police is likely to seek custody for further probe.
The fire at the Flourish Stay B&B in Hauz Rani in Malviya Nagar started around 8.30 am on Wednesday. The blaze quickly spread through the five-floor narrow building that had only one entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows and a sensor-operated main door.
At least 58 people were rescued and rushed to hospitals where 21 were declared brought dead, officials said. The dead include nine Indians, eight of them from an extended family.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among those who expressed their condolences. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has sought a detailed report from South Delhi district magistrate and warned of strict action if lapses were found.
The hotel is believed to be owned by three partners, and the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
