The death toll in the Malviya Nagar bed and breakfast fire tragedy has risen to 22 after a foreign national died while undergoing treatment on Sunday. The victim was from Nigeria.
The incident took place on June 3 at the Flourish Inn hotel, where a major fire broke out, killing 21 people and injuring several others. Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Sunday took accused Keshav Negi, who has been arrested in connection with the case, to the incident site as part of efforts to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Negi, who worked as a cook at the hotel, was earlier arrested in connection with the fire. Police said he was taken to the spot for investigation purposes. Earlier, officials had alleged that Negi's negligence may have contributed to the incident. Investigators have also detained several others as part of the ongoing probe.
Preliminary findings suggest multiple fire safety lapses and serious violations in the building's safety arrangements. On Saturday, the Saket court remanded Keshav Negi to two days of police custody after he was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class Bhanu Pratap Singh. Police had sought custodial interrogation for further investigation.
Hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj, associated with Flourish Stays in Malviya Nagar, is also in police custody in connection with the case. During the hearing, Delhi Police told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary for the investigation. Officials also indicated that the fire may have been caused due to a leakage of cooking gas.
Investigation and Safety Concerns
The Delhi Police is conducting a thorough investigation into the fire incident. The accused cook, Keshav Negi, was taken to the site to help reconstruct the events leading to the tragedy. Authorities have identified multiple fire safety violations at the hotel, including inadequate exits and lack of fire extinguishers.
Legal Proceedings
The Saket court has granted police custody of Negi for two days to facilitate deeper interrogation. Hotel owner Lovkesh Bajaj remains in custody as well. The court proceedings highlighted the need for custodial interrogation to uncover the full extent of negligence.
Officials suspect that a gas leak may have triggered the fire, which rapidly spread through the building. The incident has raised serious questions about fire safety compliance in similar establishments across the city.
