A 25-year-old shopper was found dead inside a lift in Vishal Mega Mart after a fire broke out there, police said on Saturday.
Kumar Dhirender Pratap likely died of suffocation, they said.
A search party composed of police, the fire department, and the disaster response unit found his body.
At 6.51 pm on Friday, Dhirender began a streak of messages to his elder brother from inside the lift. “Bhaiya (brother)” followed by, “Hum lift mein hoon. Gas (sic) gaye hain. Karol Bagh Mega Mart.”
His final message, also sent at 6.51 pm, read, “Ab saans phool raha. Kuchh karo” (I am short of breath now. Do something).
There were no further messages from him.
The fire was reported at 6.44 pm from the second floor of the four-storey building on Padam Singh Road. “This is a Vishal Mega Mart outlet where grocery and fabric items are sold. The fire was confined mainly to the second floor,” a Delhi Police statement said.
Thirteen fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but it is believed that it started due to a short circuit, officials said.
Fire officials also said that due to a lack of adequate ventilation in the building, the firefighting operation went on longer, with about 90 firefighters involved in the operation.
Read more
Sisson House and Haryana Canal Rest House wait to welcome their new neighbour-Delhi CM
Delhi CM: In the heart of Delhi’s elite Civil Lines, the historic Sisson House—renowned for its Raj-era architecture—and the adjacent Haryana Canal Rest House are abuzz with anticipation as they prepare to welcome a new neighbour: Delhi’s Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta. Gupta is set to occupy two bungalows on Plot No. 8, Raj Niwas Marg, a prestigious address in North Delhi. One will serve as her official residence, while the other will function as her camp office. Raj Niwas Marg, formerly known as Ludlow Castle Road, is steeped in history. Dating back to the British colonial era, the area has long served as an administrative hub, housing residences for high-ranking officials. Its strategic proximity to the Delhi Vidhan Sabha and the Delhi Secretariat—approximately 10 minutes from Gupta’s Shalimar Bagh constituency and 15 minutes from the Secretariat—makes it a practical and symbolic choice for the Chief Minister’s base.
Proclaimed offender arrested for impersonating IB officer, using forged MHA and police identity cards
Police recovered over 9,000 shoe uppers, sticker sheets and heavy machinery bearing logos of top…
The DDA followed as the second-largest contributor in the same period, planting around 7.63 lakh…
Fugitive accused Mohammad Moin Qureshi was arrested in Timarpur following a brief exchange of fire…
Bodies found in separate rooms; police await post-mortem report as investigation continues
After a record-breaking theatrical run of over Rs 1,000 crore, Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster shifts to…
