Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair a meeting with the MLAs over the ongoing anti-encroachment drives in Delhi. This comes days after clashes broke out between locals and Delhi Police personnel during an anti-encroachment drive by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in Madanpur Khadar on Thursday. The Police said AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was arrested while 12 residents, including a woman and her minor daughter, were detained.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for families of those who died in the fire in Mundka on Friday. Those who have sustained injuries will be given Rs 50,000 as compensation. Kejriwal has also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
On the weather front, heatwave conditions are predicted for the national capital on Sunday, when the maximum temperature could settle at around 45 degree Celsius. At the Safdarjung weather observatory, which provides a marker for the city, the maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 44.2 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal for this time of the year.
Delhi Mundka Fire Tragedy Live Updates today:
When the fire department first received a call about the Mundka blaze, they were under the impression that it is a factory unit and not an office complex with over a hundred trapped inside.
Atul Garg, Delhi Fire Services Chief, said they first received a call at 4.40 pm and were informed the location was a factory. “Assuming it was a factory fire, we sent 10 fire tenders to the spot. We weren’t told about the number of people trapped inside. The fire broke out on the first floor and spread to other floors within an hour. We found that people were trapped inside. It’s an office space where WiFi routers, CCTVs and other devices are stored. We called cranes and ambulances for help. At present, 30 fire tenders are working at the spot to contain the fire and rescue people,” Garg told The Indian Express on Friday night.
READ | Mundka fire: First fire call gave impression not many were trapped inside
In a narrow space between ambulances and firetrucks, Ajay Daksh stood watching the crane put out fire at an office complex in Mundka. For five hours, he had been shuttling between the building and the nearest hospitals in search of his sister.
“I came to know through people that there was a fire in the office where my sister works. I have been watching the flames and the rescue operation but I do not have any idea where my sister is. Bodies are being pulled out and I just hope I do not have to see the worst,” said Ajay as he chased an ambulance to try and catch a glimpse of yet another body being taken away.
A fire broke out at a factory in outer Delhi’s Narela Monday night. Officials said that a group of labourers were trapped inside the factory. Police and fire services said they rescued the labourers in time.
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with an Express account.
Family members of many feared dead in the fire which broke out at a four-storey building in Mundka are yet to find closure. This is because four days later, they are yet to receive the remains of their loved ones pending a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). Of 27, eight bodies have been identified so far.
Bharti Devi (42) was working in the canteen of the CCTV and router manufacturing company earning Rs 5,000-7,000 per month for the past two years. Her son Suraj, in his early 20s, spent the day pleading with officers at Mundka police station to expedite his mother’s forensic report. “They (authorities) say that it will take 10-15 days. I work at AIIMS and I know reports can be expedited. We can get peace of mind only after we conduct her final rites. How can we spend days without any answers?” Suraj said.
Madhu Devi (29) was working as a packer earning Rs 5,000-6,000 and had been employed for the past three years. A mother of two girls, she had promised to come home for dinner. Read more
Water production at the Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla water treatment plants (WTP) had fallen by around 25% on Monday on account of depleting water levels in the Yamuna, according to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
A statement from the DJB stated that the water level at the Wazirabad pond had fallen to 669.40 ft, against a normal level of around 674.50 ft. The level at the pond has fallen further from 671.80 ft on May 12. The release of raw water from Haryana had also reduced, according to the statement. Water supply is likely to be affected from Tuesday morning onwards till the pond level improves. The three WTPs together produce around 230 MGD (million gallons per day) out of the total of around 950 MGD of water, and a disruption in production at these three plants means that supply to several parts of the city will be disrupted.
The Chandrawal WTP produces around 90 MGD (million gallons per day) of water, while the Wazirabad WTP produces 120 MGD, and the Okhla WTP produces 20 MGD. Read more
The Mundka ward, where 27 people died in a fire at an office complex, had the post of licensing inspector lying vacant for 10 days leading up to the incident.
Sushil Gautam was posted as inspector on Friday, the same day the fire broke out. His predecessor Sandeep Kumar Kaushik was relieved on May 4, and from then till May 13, the post was vacant.
Area councillor Anil Lakra claimed that after the fire, orders were issued in a hurry by authorities to appoint Gautam as licensing inspector. “It is the duty of the licensing inspector to see such violations, whether the commercial establishments operating in the area have licence or not.” Read more
Delhi on Monday, registered 377 new Covid-19 infections, one death with the positivity rate of 3.37 per cent as per the health bulletin.
The Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi has collected DNA samples from 27 bodies – most of them charred beyond recognition – since the Mundka fire, and is now in the process of matching those with blood samples collected from family members. So far, only eight out of the 27 bodies have been identified and the rest are not just “highly charred”, but also have no jewellery or clothes that can help with identification.
The fire broke out at a four-storey commercial building in Outer Delhi’s Mundka on Friday, killing 27 persons, most of them women. The next day, families were called to the mortuary to try and identify their loved ones. The eight – Tania Chauhan, Ranju Devi, Amit Jyani, Kailash Jyani, Drishti, Yashoda Devi, Vishal and Mohini – were identified with the help of their clothes or pieces of jewellery such as bracelet, gold chain or earrings, said their families.
Officials on Monday said DNA testing and profiling can take days or even weeks because of the number of the test samples and the lengthy procedure. Read more
Observing that the “democratic fabric” of society will suffer if respect for the judiciary is undermined, the Delhi High Court has sentenced a contemnor to 45 days of simple imprisonment for demolishing the boundary wall of a property in Burari in violation of court orders.
“The purpose of contempt jurisdiction is to uphold the majesty and dignity of the courts of law, since the respect and authority commanded by the courts of law are the greatest guarantee to an ordinary citizen,” said Justice Subramonium Prasad in an order.
The court added, “A strong message has to be sent to the society that the orders of the Court cannot be flouted by using strong arm tactics”. Read more
Despite record day temperatures in Delhi, the power demand in the past few days has declined mainly due to holidays, discom officials said on Monday.
A tormenting heatwave swept through the city on Sunday with the mercury leaping to 49.2 degrees Celsius at Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi and 49.1 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh in the city's southwest.
However, the peak power demand reached 6,732 MW at 11.26 PM on Sunday, according to the realtime data of Delhi's State Load Dispatch Centre, the apex body to ensure integrated operation of the power system in the capital. It slightly fell to 6,688 MW just past midnight -- on the intervening night between Sunday and Monday -- as per SLDC data. (PTI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the police action against Kashmiri Pandits who were protesting against the killing of Rahul Bhat (35) in Kashmir’s Budgam district and demanded that the responsible officers be suspended.
Demanding that adequate security arrangements be made so that Kashmiri Pandits, who wish to return to the valley, can do so, Kejriwal said, “A few days ago, a government official, Rahul Bhat, was killed. Some terrorists went to his office, asked his name and shot him dead. It seems they had decided that they wanted to target a Kashmiri Pandit. Our army traced and killed two terrorists within 24 hours. But the whole country is worried that why Kashmiri Pandits are not safe in Kashmir even today. Many Kashmiri Pandit youth were sent to Kashmir under a special package. They wanted to live and work there peacefully. It is their home, and they wanted to build a life there. After this incident, they are scared. They were protesting to express their anger at the killing but they were stopped. Tear gas shells were fired and a lathi charge was carried out on protesters. They were locked inside their colony. Why? This is not right,” the Chief Minister said. Read more
A tourist from Delhi died after he slipped into a river in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.
Mohammad Anwar, a resident of the Okhla area in Delhi, slipped into Sindh river at Sonamarg while he was using his mobile phone, they said.
Anwar was retrieved from the river by locals and police but he had died apparently due to injuries he sustained on his head, the officials said. (PTI)
Gold prices dipped by Rs 46 to Rs 49,754 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday in line with global trends, according to HDFC Securities. In the previous trade, the precious metal finished at Rs 49,800 per 10 gram.
Silver, however, gained Rs 213 to Rs 59,452 per kg from Rs 59,239 per kg in the previous trade.
"Spot gold prices for 24 carat gold at Delhi were down by Rs 46 in line with decline in global gold prices," said Tapan Patel, Senior Analyst (Commodities), HDFC Securities.
In the international market, gold was trading lower at USD 1,797 per ounce and silver was marginally lower at USD 20.96 per ounce.
"Gold prices traded weak with spot gold prices at COMEX trading 0.77 per cent down at $1,797 per ounce on Monday. Gold prices traded under pressure on stronger dollar despite of fall in bond yields," he added. (PTI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday urged the Centre to take steps to ensure the security of Kashmiri Pandits in the wake of the last week killing of a government servant from the community.
Rahul Bhat, who had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11, was gunned down by terrorists inside the tehsil office in Chadoora town of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Thursday.
“A Kashmiri Pandit was killed inside his office by terrorists. It seems it was planned. The Indian Army gunned down two terrorists in a day. But the incident has left Kashmiri Pandits scared,” Kejriwal said in an online briefing. Read more
Claiming that the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Delhi will render 63 lakh people homeless, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday said it will be the "biggest destruction" in Independent India, and accused the BJP of “misusing" power. He also questioned the moral, constitutional and legal authority of the BJP-ruled civic bodies to launch such a large-scale drive at the fag end of their terms.
"Delhi has not developed as a planned city. More than 80 per cent of Delhi can be called illegal and encroached upon. Does that mean you will destroy 80 per cent of Delhi?" he asked.
In a virtual address after holding a meeting with AAP MLAs on the issue, he demanded the deferred municipal corporation polls be held now to elect new civic bodies that can take a decision on the matter.
"You will make 63 lakh people homeless and spoil their daily lives by bulldozing their houses and shops. It will be the biggest destruction in independent India. Nobody is going to tolerate it," the AAP national convener said, attacking the BJP. (PTI)
On Twitter live, Arvind Kejriwal, asked the government if they have constitutional power to take this step. He requested to let MCD decide post polls.
Kejriwal said, 'I promise AAP will resolve the issue of illegal construction without using bulldozers and help give them homes.' He further added, 'AAP will bring progresive change without chaos, just like we did with education and healthcare.'
Slamming the anti-encroachment drive being carried out in various parts of the city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said if bulldozers raze shops and houses of 63 lakh people in Delhi, which are considered illegal, it will be the "biggest destruction" in independent India.
At a meeting with Aam Aadmi Party MLAs on the matter, Kejriwal told them that they should be ready to go to jail for opposing the anti-encroachment drive being carried out by the BJP-led municipal corporations in various parts of Delhi.
"They are reaching colonies with bulldozers and razing any shop and house. Even if people show them papers to prove that the structure is not illegal, they do not check them," he said.
"Delhi has not been made in a planned way.More than 80 per cent of Delhi can be called illegal and encroached. Does that mean you will destroy 80 per cent of Delhi?" he said in an online briefing.
The party is against the way the anti-encroachment drive is being carried out, he said, adding nearly 50 lakh people stay in unauthorised colonies, 10 lakh in 'jhuggis' and there are lakhs of people who have modified balconies or done something that does not conform to original maps. (PTI)
Targeting the anti-encroachment drives held by the BJP-led MCD in the Capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday said the civic body was planning to run bulldozers over 63 lakh people in the city, making it the “biggest demolition in Independent India”.
“In the last 75 years, Delhi has not been made in a planned way. More than 80 per cent of Delhi will come under the bracket of illegal construction or encroachment. The question then arises, will 80 per cent of Delhi be demolished?” said Kejriwal. The Delhi chief minister said he held a meeting of his party’s MLAs. “I told them even if we have to go to jail, don't be scared. You need to stand by the people. Running bulldozers like this is not right. Doing dadagiri, gundagardi is not okay. Abusing your power is not okay," he added.
"Why are you running bulldozers over people? We will fix Delhi. Like we have worked on education, health, water, and electricity, similarly, we will fix encroachments too. But to demolish homes and shops by running bulldozers over them is not right. We vehemently protest this," said Kejriwal.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while referring to the recent anti-encroachment drives said: “Delhi has not been expanded in a planned manner. Over 80% of the city is illegal, encroached...Question arises, would 80% of the city be demolished (by BJP-led MCDs)?”
Following the meeting with MLAs over the anti-encroachment drives, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said: “The municipal corporations plan to run bulldozers over 63 lakh people. I believe this will be the biggest demolition in Independent India. We are not in favour of illegal encroachments, and will fix the issue, but running bulldozers is not the way.” He added, “I just held a meeting with our MLAs. I told them that even if we have to go to jail, don't be scared. We need to stand by the people. Doing dadagiri, gundagardi is not okay. Abusing power is not okay.”
The police have arrested a man who allegedly stabbed a worker of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) after a fight and a policeman in North Delhi, said officials Sunday. The accused, Virender Badal, was arrested after the police shot and overpowered him. According to the police, Badal, a criminal in the Delhi Cantonment area, and his associate Brijesh were in Burari on Sunday when they got into a fight with a driver, who works with the DJB. Read More
With a western disturbance affecting parts of northwest India, cloudy skies, the possibility of a dust storm or thunderstorm and very light rainfall are on the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for Delhi-NCR on Monday. The maximum temperature could dip to around 41 degrees Celsius on Monday, after having settled at 45.6 degrees Celsius the previous day. Read More
Delhi’s government schools have been given the target to collectively plant 1,50,000 saplings on their premises in the academic year 2022-2023. This target — of 40,000 trees and 1,10,000 shrubs —has been fixed by the government’s Department of Environment. This means that each school has been given the goal to plant at least 100 saplings—30 trees and 70 shrubs—on their premises during this academic year. (ENS)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair a meeting with the MLAs over the ongoing anti-encroachment drives in Delhi. This comes days after clashes broke out between locals and Delhi Police personnel during an anti-encroachment drive by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in Madanpur Khadar on Thursday. The Police said AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was arrested while 12 residents, including a woman and her minor daughter, were detained.
Two weather observatories in Delhi — Mungeshpur and Najafgarh — recorded temperatures of over 49 degrees Celsius Sunday as the heat wave in the city marched on. While Mungeshpur recorded a temperature of 49.2 degrees Celsius, that at Najafgarh was 49.1 degrees. The temperature at Safdarjung, which provides a marker for the city, was 45.6 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal. The maximum temperature at Gurgaon was 48.1 degrees Celsius, nine degrees above normal. At Noida, it was 47.1 degrees. The temperature is expected to be between 41 and 28 degrees Celsius on Monday. Read More
Delhi on Sunday recorded 613 fresh Covid-19 cases and three deaths. The positivity rate is now at 2.74 per cent.
Meanwhile, 784 persons recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours. Currently, there are 3,762 active cases in the national capital.
Despite doing everything possible to get into four-storey building in Mundka that caught fire on Friday, Ismail Khan watched helplessly as his sister, Muskan (22), screamed for help: ‘Bhai mujhe bacha le please, mujhe nahi marna hai.’ She is among the 19 yet to be identified.
Like several other family members of victims who died in the blaze, Ismail (27) went from the mortuary to the emergency care unit of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital several times on Sunday, hoping to find some trace of his sister. Read entire story
Seeking to spread its wings in southern State of Kerala, New Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced his party's political alliance with Twenty20, a political party, promoted by a business group in Kochi and targeted the mainstream political parties in the State by alleging that they were not interested in providing jobs for the youth.
While attending a public meeting organised by Twenty20 that is promoted by the Kitex Group, Kejriwal said the political parties here won't give jobs to the children of this State as they want people who can riot and can spread hooliganism.
Listing out the projects the AAP chief said his government has provided jobs to 1.2 million people in Delhi. (PTI)
A Delhi court has granted bail to former promoters of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) Dheeraj Rajesh Wadhawan and Kapil Rajesh Wadhawan in a multi-crore scam case linked to a real estate project in Noida.
Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh granted relief to the accused persons, noting that they were not arrested during the investigation and that there was no requirement of their custody now.
"In the present case as well, the applicant/accused persons -- Kapil Rajesh Wadhawan and Dheeraj Rajesh Wadhawan -- were not arrested during the investigation. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against them without arrest. Investigation Officer (IO) in his reply to the bail applications has stated that there is no requirement of custody,” the court said in an order passed on May 13. (PTI)
The Delhi Police on Sunday said it has collected biological samples of at least 20 people, whose family members are believed to be killed in the fire at the building in outer Delhi's Mundka, for DNA profiling.
These members also include kin of the eight people whose identities have already been ascertained, officials said. At least 27 people were charred to death in the massive blaze that ripped through the four-storey building on Friday, according to the police.
"Though eight charred bodies have been identified, we have collected DNA samples from their family members, too, to fully confirm their identities. So far, we have collected samples from over 20 people for the process of DNA profiling, which will be carried out by forensic experts," Sameer Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer), said. (PTI)
The NHRC on Sunday sent a notice to the Delhi government over the Mundka fire tragedy, which has claimed 27 lives, while observing the incident has established the city authorities have "learnt little" from past experiences.
The police have so far recovered 27 bodies following the Friday incident. Of them, 14 have been identified as women and six as men. "The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that as many as 27 people died in a major fire in a four-storey office in Mundka, Delhi on May 13.
"Reportedly, this fire incident has once again established that the city authorities have learnt little from similar incidents in the past that exposed the utter lack of fire safety mechanisms and the gaping holes in their implementation," it said in a statement. (PTI)
There has been a significant rise in the percentage of Delhi Metro commuters who use smart cards since January vis-a-vis the figures during pre-Covid time, the DMRC said on Sunday.
Since January 2022, around 78 per cent of the metro commuters are using smart cards for travel on regular basis up from around 70 per cent in the pre-Covid days, it said in a statement. COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was reported in Delhi in early March 2020 and initially token services were also suspended.
"It is noteworthy that the year 2020 also recorded 100 per cent usage of smart cards for 3-4 months when the metro services were resumed after 169-day complete shutdown in September 2020 and sale of tokens were strictly not allowed as a precautionary measure," the DMRC statement said. (PTI)
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has approved a magisterial inquiry into the Mundka building fire, which claimed the lives of 27 people, and it will be completed within six weeks, officials said on Sunday.
District magistrate (West) will probe lapses on the part of the concerned departments and agencies, recommend action against the erring officials and fix responsibility, they said. The DM will also suggest remedial measures to prevent such tragedies in future, the officials said.
The fire, one of the deadliest in recent years, ripped through a four-storey building in outer Delhi's Mundka area on May 13. It started on the first floor of the building due to a suspected explosion in an AC, according to fire officials. Nineteen people are still missing. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court has sentenced a man to 45-day imprisonment for committing contempt of court and said that the democratic fabric of society would suffer if respect for the judiciary is undermined.
Justice Subramonium Prasad also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on the contemnor who demolished a boundary wall which was built by the petitioner pursuant to a high court order.
"Keeping in view the contumacious conduct of the Respondent No.1/Contemnor, this Court sentences the Respondent No.1/Contemnor, who is present in Court today, to undergo 45 days of simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2,000. The Respondent No.1/Contemnor is directed to be taken in custody forthwith,” said the court in its order dated May 13. (PTI)
A tormenting heatwave swept through the national capital and its neighbouring areas on Sunday with the mercury leaping to 49.2 degrees Celsius at Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi and 49.1 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh in the southwest parts of the city.
Maximum temperatures reached unbearable highs of 48.4 degrees Celsius at Sports Complex, 47.5 degrees Celsius at Jafarpur, 47.3 degrees Celsius at Pitampura and 47.2 degrees Celsius at Ridge.
At the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, the maximum temperature rose to 45.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above the normal and the highest this year so far. (PTI)
The AAP on Sunday held the BJP responsible for the death of 27 people in Mundka fire incident, alleging that the "illegal industrial activities" were going on in the building as its owner Manish Lakra enjoyed protection from the saffron party leaders. Lakra was arrested on Sunday in connection with the massive fire, two days after the incident.
Addressing a press conference here, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak also showed some pictures in which Lakra was seen with some BJP leaders, including former mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
"Lakra is a BJP man. That's why MCD gave him protection and illegal industrial activities continued in the building," Pathak charged, adding "BJP and its leaders are responsible for the death of 27 people in the tragic incident of fire in the building. They were all hand in glove". (PTI)
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has set up 125 libraries and 73 reading corners in its schools to inculcate a habit of reading among students, the civic body said on Sunday. The SDMC runs 539 primary schools under its jurisdiction.
"The civic body has been establishing well-equipped libraries inside the school premises. In collaboration with NGOs Angelica Foundation, Room to Read and Katha, the SDMC's education department has set up well-equipped and reader-friendly libraries in as many as 125 schools," it said in an official statement.
SDMC Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti said setting up of "excellent" libraries will bring about a positive change in the lives of children by motivating them to read good and inspirational books. (PTI)
Giving no respite to the national capital, Mungeshpur and Najafgarh observatories in Delhi Sunday reported temperatures of 49.2 degree Celsius and 49.1 degree Celsius respectively.
The temperature at Safdarjung, which provides a marker for the city, was 45.6 degrees Celsius.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will on Monday hold a key meeting of AAP MLAs on the anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled civic bodies in different parts of the city, officials said.
The three civic bodies have been carrying out demolitions in several parts of Delhi, including Shaheen Bagh, Madanpur Khadar, New Friends Colony, Mangolpuri, Karol Bagh, Khyala, and Lodhi Colony.
The meeting will begin at 11 am at Kejriwal's official residence in Civil Lines during which a strategy will be chalked out to counter the BJP over the demolition drive, officials said on Sunday. (PTI)
Outer District DCP Sameer Sharma Sunday informed the media that the Delhi Police have arrested three persons, including building owner Manish Lakra, in connection with the fire incident at a four-storey office complex in Mundka. The other arrested persons have been identified as the two company owners.
“At least 27 people died in the incident. However, only eight victims have been identified till now. DNA samples have been collected and identification process is underway. The building had no fire NOC,” Sameer Sharma added.
He further stated that the company, which manufactured CCTV cameras and 4G routers, had leased out a portion in the building to run their office. “The fire broke out during sales motivation programme. 27 people are yet to be traced,” he added. (ANI)
Virpal, brother of Asha, 30, one of the missing people in the fire at Mundka, has been waiting at the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital for the past 3 hours and has got no response from the hospital. 'She was like a mother to me. She made breakfast and packed lunch for me before going to work. After that I didn't get to speak to her because her office people collect phones of all employees. I am standing here since morning and running from hospital to police station. I have to give blood sample to get the DNA test done but hospital people are referring to police and police is asking to speak to emergency or mortuary. I am helpless, I don't know what to do. My brother in law and parents are on their way from UP,' said Virpal, sister of Asha,30. She worked at thr RO manufacturing unit on third floor.
More than two days after fire at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, families of relatives still missing await a response. Govind Gupta and Subhash Gupta, waiting at the mortuary at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital as their relative, Praveen Gupta, is still missing. Praveen was working at the company for over nine years. His motorcycle, they claim, is still parked outside the building.
After 27 people died in a fire at at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, the Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the building owner, identified as Manish lakra. “We have nabbed Manish lakra. Raids were done and he was nabbed, said DCP (outer) Sameer Sharma. The building has no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD.
A team of Delhi Police reached at Rajasthan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Mahesh Joshi’s house in Jaipur to arrest his son, Rohit Joshi, but he was found to be absconding. Delhi Police has registered an FIR after a 23-year-old woman alleged that she was raped by a Rajasthan minster’s son in Jaipur and Delhi last year.
Most of those killed in the fire at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, West Delhi, on Friday were young women who had taken up jobs to support their families, particularly after the pandemic. Of the 27 confirmed deaths so far, 21 were women. While only eight victims, including five women, have been identified so far, 24 of the 29 in the missing persons’ list prepared by police – who are feared to be among the dead — are women.
A distraught Sunitha Devi sat outside the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on Saturday, waiting to hear about Sonam, her 20-year-old daughter, who had not returned from her workplace in Mundka on Friday.
Till Saturday afternoon, Sonam’s family had not been able to identify her among the dead who were brought to the hospital. They had gone to the site in Mundka, hoping for some leads, but the police there were not able to offer any information, said Anurag, Sonam’s cousin.
“She was working in a company that dealt with cameras and WiFi. Her job had to do with connecting the antenna to the WiFi router. Her father died of Covid in May last year, and since she is the eldest daughter, she began working,” Anurag said. Sonam has two siblings, a younger brother and sister, who waited outside the hospital along with Sunitha Devi. “Since her brother is still underage and cannot start working, she decided to step in. Her brother had helped her land this job,” Anurag said. Read full story here
Punjabi Bagh SDM Gurpreet Singh said, "Total eight dead bodies have been identified. The bodies have been handed over to the families after the post-mortem."
Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, visiting families of victims at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, said, "If the fire brigade had come on time, many lives could have been saved. Who will take responsibility of this? There should be a judicial enquiry and report should be out in 48 hours," said Gupta. "Only releasing compensation does not absolve the government of its responsibility."
1) Tania Bhushan, d/o Chandra Bhushan
2) Mohini Pal, w/o Vijay Pal
3) Yashoda Devi, w/o Vishwajit
4) Ranju Devi, w/o Santosh
5) Vishal, s/o Mithlesh
6) Drishti, s/o Ganpat
7) Kailash Jyani, s/o Bahadur Ram Jyani
-- from DCP Sameer Sharma
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday expressed grief over the fatal Delhi fire accident that killed 27 people. "Extremely pained by the tragic loss of so many lives in Delhi Fire accident. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery," Stalin said in a tweet.
The Mundka building which was ravaged by a fire that claimed 27 lives had a single entry and exit point, which could explain the reason for the high number of casualties, a senior fire department officer said on Saturday. The building also did not have a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department, the officer added.
The fire started from the first floor of the building that houses the office of a CCTV camera and router manufacturing and assembling company on Friday. The owners of the company, Harish Goel and his brother Varun Goel, who were detained earlier, have been arrested, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said. The building owner has been booked as well. In videos that emerged on social media, people could be heard crying for help while others were seen jumping from the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
"The rescue operation is over. The building had a single escape route which is the reason for so many casualties," said Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Service. Garg said they recovered some more charred remains on Saturday morning and the death told could rise up to 30. He said it was difficult to identify whether the remains were of one person or more. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in a fire that ripped through a four-storey building in outer Delhi's Mundka and said the incident was "heartbreaking."
"The loss of lives in an unfortunate and horrific fire incident in Delhi yesterday is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My condolences are with the bereaved family members. I pray that may Lord Shri Ram grant peace to the souls of the departed and help the injured make a speedy recovery," Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi. (PTI)
The Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Delhi has set up a help desk where people injured in yesterday’s incident of fire at Mundka have been admitted. Civil Defence Officer, SP Tomar said, “This is to help the people whose loved ones are missing or injured, so that they get the correct info”
19-year-old Preeti recalled the fire incident at Mundka and said that the smoke had engulfed the room making it difficult for them to move.
'...We were trapped. We tried breaking the glass windows using the tables and chairs. Some tried to escape from a space through an AC window. People were crying...I grabbed a rope thrown by some neighbours and jumped. My hand was burnt. Many I know are missing,' she said.
Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg Saturday said that the four-storey building gutted in a massive fire near Mundka metro station had no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD. “It seems the entire building was illegal,” Garg said. Garg added that the rescue operation was over.
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Saturday offered his condolences to the victims of the fire accident at a building near Mundka metro station. "Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in Mundka, Delhi. Despite best rescue efforts many precious lives were lost. My deepest Condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured," he said.
Out of the 27 people who died after a massive fire broke out at a commerical building near Mundka metro station on Friday, the Delhi police has identified six bodies. Meanwhile, rescue operations continued at the fire incident site.
BJP MP Hans Raj Hans Saturday visited the site where at least 27 have been killed after a massive fire broke out in a commerical building near Mundka metro station on Friday. "It's an unfortunate tragedy. The magnitude of the tragedy can be judged by the horrific scenes, where people were seen climbing down from broken ladders to escape. Strict action should be taken against all who are responsible, whether its the owner, the builder, the agencies who give NOC...An enquiry should be conducted. Our thoughts are with bereaved families," Hans said.
Poonam Devi, who works on the second floor in packing division of Cofe Impex Pvt Ltd said, "I did not go to the office yesterday as I was unwell. At 3.30, my family called me and informed that there had been a fire at my office. I have come here to look for Yashoda, who is a relative of my sister. She worked on the first floor. She is missing."