Mundka Fire Tragedy: Delhi Police arrests building owner; father of other accused succumbs to burn injuries

A day after a fire in a commercial building near Mundka Metro station killed at least 27 people, Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner of the building, Manish Lakra, who was on the run. This is the third arrest that has been made in connection with the fire incident after company owners Harish and Varun Goel were arrested yesterday.

Building owner Manish Lakra, after conducting multiple raids in Delhi and Haryana, has been arrested, said Delhi Police.

In an unfortunate development, father of the two arrested yesterday, Amarnath Goel, was charred to death as he was trapped in the first floor of the building while he was attending a motivational session.

An FIR was registered against the company owners under sections IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder),308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide),120 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment),34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The massive fire, which broke out on the four-storey building on Friday evening, left at least 27 dead and 12 injured. According to the Delhi Fire Service chief, the building was functioning without having any proper clearances and a Fire NOC.

On Saturday, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the site along with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and called for a magisterial enquiry. Kejriwal also announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of each deceased. The Delhi government promised Rs 50,000 compensation for the ones injured.

“It was a massive fire, many people were killed, and their bodies were charred to the extent that they couldn’t be identified. We have deployed help to identify the missing & the dead,” Kejriwal told news agency ANI.

The fire was eventually brought under control after six-long hours since the incident was first reported to the Fire Department at 4:40 pm on Friday. At least 70 people were rescued from the blaze.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation each to the families who lost their kin to the fire and that of Rs 50,000 to the injured.