NEW DELHI: Days after a huge fire engulfed a building in southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad Extension area which claimed three lives, a 50-year-old speech-impaired woman, Guddi Devi, who had suffered severe injuries in the tragedy, succumbed to her injuries during treatment on Monday evening, police said.
With Guddi Devi’s death, the toll in the incident has risen to four, a police official said.
A 70-year-old woman and her two maternal grandchildren lost their lives and two other family members were injured on Friday after a fire broke out in a residential building.
The deceased had been identified as Sushila Devi, her maternal grandson Pankaj (28), and Pankaj’s sister Soni (20). However, Pankaj’s mother, Guddi Devi (50) and her daughter Moni (18) were in critical condition.
What initially appeared to be a case of an accidental short circuit later took a dramatic turn when CCTV footage surfaced, revealing that the incident was not accidental but had been deliberately planned.
The 50-second video allegedly showed a woman entering the parking area of the five-storey residential building. Moments later, flames erupted, following which the woman is purportedly seen leaving the spot in haste. Later in the investigation, police apprehended four people, including a minor girl, in connection with the incident.
A case was initially registered under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of the BNS. The minor disclosed that Sarita had instigated her, providing petrol and a matchbox to set ablaze the scooty of one Deepak, resident of fifth floor of the building, over a monetary dispute.
Sarita in turn revealed that the conspiracy was hatched at the instance of Niranjan (33) and his brother Rajkumar (27), residents of Navjeevan Camp, to avenge a personal dispute.
Later, additional sections 61 (Criminal Conspiracy), 105 (Culpable Homicide), 110 (Attempt to Culpable Homicide), 326(g) (Mischief by Fire), and 331(4) (Lurking House-Trespass by Night) of the BNS were added, and minor girl and all three accused were apprehended.
CCTV footage reveals fire was deliberately planned
A woman and her two grandchildren lost their lives and 2 other family members were injured on Friday after a fire broke out in a residential building. What initially appeared to be a case of an accidental short circuit later took a dramatic turn after CCTV footage revealed that the incident was not accidental but had been deliberately planned.
