Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unidentified individuals after three men, including two brothers, lost their lives in a devastating fire that engulfed a makeshift hut near AGCR Enclave in Anand Vihar, East Delhi. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam confirmed the registration of the FIR at Anand Vihar police station under Section 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He added that multiple teams have been assigned to investigate the matter.
The Delhi Fire Services received a distress call at 2:22 AM, prompting the dispatch of three fire tenders. Firefighters managed to control the blaze by 2:50 am. Upon further inspection, station officer Feroz reported at 3:10 am that three charred bodies had been recovered from inside the hut.
The victims have been identified as Jaggi (30), and siblings Shyam Singh (40) and Kanta Prasad (37), all hailing from Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh. Police stated that the trio died due to asphyxiation caused by the fire.
According to the authorities, the deceased, along with another labourer, Nitin, were employed as daily wage workers, reportedly associated with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL). They lived in the temporary shelter near a DDA plot on Manglam Road.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the group used a small diesel container placed on a cooler stand to light the hut. Nitin, the sole survivor, recounted that around 2 am, Shyam Singh woke up to find the fire spreading. Despite attempting to unlock the door, he failed, and as the flames intensified, Nitin managed to escape while the other three were trapped inside. The fire was further exacerbated when a gas cylinder inside the hut exploded.
The victims’ father, Rampal, who also lived in the hut but was away at the time, has raised concerns over how Nitin managed to escape while his sons perished in the fire. Police have recorded the statements of both Rampal and Nitin as part of their investigation.
Authorities suspect the diesel container might have played a role in igniting the fire, but further inquiry is underway to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
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Meanwhile, Indraprastha Gas Limited issued a statement expressing condolences but clarifying that the incident was unrelated to its operations. “There are reports of IGL workers being charred to death in Anand Vihar. While we are deeply saddened by this unfortunate fire, we would like to clarify that the deceased were not part of IGL’s workforce, and the incident is unrelated to our operations,” the company stated.
Investigations continue as police seek to determine the circumstances leading to the fatal fire.
(With inputs from PTI)
