Delhi hotel fire: Cook arrested, several others detained as probe widens

Delhi Police has arrested the cook employed at a south Delhi guest house where a devastating fire claimed 21 lives earlier this week, with investigators suspecting that his actions may have contributed to the outbreak of the blaze, officials said on Saturday, 6 June.

The accused, identified as Keshav Negi, was taken into custody as police intensified their investigation into the fire at Flourish Stays Bed and Breakfast in the Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. Several other individuals linked to the establishment have also been detained for questioning, officials said.

According to police sources, preliminary findings point to possible negligence on the part of Negi, though investigators are still piecing together the exact sequence of events that led to the tragedy. Statements are being recorded from hotel employees and others associated with the property's management and operations as part of the probe.

The arrest comes amid a broader investigation into alleged fire safety violations, unauthorised construction and the responsibilities of those overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the establishment.

The fire tore through the premises on the morning of 3 June, killing 21 people, including a 16-year-old girl and several foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Iraq, Congo, Mozambique and Liberia.

Police had earlier arrested the hotel's owner Lavkesh Bajaj, and booked him on charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Investigators are examining whether negligence, violations of mandatory safety norms and unauthorised modifications to the building contributed to the scale of the disaster.

According to the FIR registered at Malviya Nagar police station, the guest house was operating 28 rooms despite having permission for only six.

Investigators have also flagged alleged shortcomings in fire safety infrastructure and ventilation systems. The FIR states that the basement entrance was found locked when rescue teams reached the scene, forcing firefighters to break open the door to gain access during emergency operations.

Police are also searching for Jay Mishra, described as a close associate and accountant of Bajaj, who has remained untraceable since the incident. Sources said Mishra's name appears in several documents related to the hotel, prompting investigators to examine whether he played a wider managerial role in the business. Multiple teams have been formed to track him down, including one dispatched to Bihar, his native state.

A preliminary forensic assessment has indicated that many of the victims died from suffocation caused by smoke inhalation rather than burn injuries. Officials also recovered several fire extinguishers from the building, but initial findings suggest they may not have been used during the emergency.

Forensic experts have collected samples of burnt wiring, electrical equipment and other materials from the site. Investigators are examining whether a short circuit, electrical overload or other technical failures may have triggered the blaze.

Police said the interrogation of those detained, along with forensic findings and witness accounts, would help reconstruct the events leading up to the fire and determine responsibility for one of Delhi's deadliest fire tragedies in recent years.

With PTI inputs