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Mundka fire incident: Kejriwal orders magisterial probe

Kejriwal, who visited Mundka Fire Tragedy site to oversee rescue operations, met with families of the deceased as well as the injured victims.

Mundka fire incident: Kejriwal orders magisterial probe

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday visited the site of a massive inferno in Mundka that claimed the lives of 27 people, and said the city government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

Kejriwal, who visited Mundka Fire Tragedy site to oversee rescue operations, met with families of the deceased as well as the injured victims.

He assured full support to everyone affected during the visit and said no culprit will be spared.

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Kejriwal announced that the Delhi Government will provide Rs 10 lakh to the families of all the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured as ex-gratia.

The Delhi Government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the matter and will ensure the strictest possible punishment for culprits, the Chief Minister said.

Expressing his grief at the incident, Kejriwal said he is deeply pained and anguished to see the quantum of the tragedy and the Delhi Government will do whatever it can to support the victims.

Kejriwal said, “I am deeply pained and anguished to see the tragedy that has transpired at this complex in Mundka. We are all trying to rescue as many lives as possible. The fire was so devastating that it has become difficult to identify some bodies. We have set up a DM Helpdesk at the site to aid those filing missing reports. We will identify the bodies through FSL DNA testing as well.

Even though no amount can make up for the loss of one’s life, as a measure of support the Delhi Government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of all the deceased. At the same time, the injured will be provided with Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia.

We have ordered a Magisterial Enquiry into the matter and will pursue the strictest possible punishment for the culprits. The two main involved have so far been arrested. This is a horrific incident and the Delhi Government will ensure that the culprits are brought to justice. Once the enquiry report comes, be it an individual, officer or agency, no culprit will be spared.”

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain were also present during the inspection.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said that the FIR has been registered under sections 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 120 (Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Most of the people were present on the second floor of the four-storey building at the time of the incident on Friday evening.

The fire first broke out on the first floor which housed a CCTV and router manufacturing company.

The police have arrested the owners of that company, identified as Harish Goel and Varun Goel and their antecedents are being examined, the senior police official said.

The building’s owner, Manish Lakra who used to reside on the top floor, has gone absconding.

“His whereabouts are still unknown,” the official said, adding searches are on to nab him.

While at least 27 people died in the massive fire that broke out in the four-storey building in Delhi’s Mundka on Friday evening, over two dozen people are missing and their relatives are enveloped in despair and uncertainty. Twelve people were injured in the tragic incident.

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