A day after 43 people lost their lives in a fire incident at Anaj Mandi near Rani Jhansi Road in Old Delhi, the National Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident.
The fire that broke out on Sunday engulfed the second and third floor of the five-storey building that housed a dozen illegal factories. Initial investigations suggest that the mishap occurred due to a short-circuit.
The incident happened at a time when around 100 to 150 people were reportedly sleeping at the place.
The Commission issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Commissioner of Police, Delhi and the Commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, asking for a detailed report in the matter within six weeks along with action taken against the errant officials. The Commission also called for details on relief and rehabilitation provided to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured.
On Monday, the Tees Hazari Court sent the owner of the factory in which the fire has erupted, Rehan and manager Furkan to 14-day police custody for interrogation. A case was registered against him under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
A massive fire ripped through the four-storey building, which housed illegal manufacturing units in north Delhi’s congested Anaj Mandi area on Sunday morning.
At least 43 people, most of them migrant labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were killed while as many as 63 people were from pulled out from the building.
It took over 150 firefighters nearly five hours to douse the blaze and two fire department personnel were hurt while carrying out rescue work.
The illegally run factory did not have fire safety clearance and was packed with a combustible material like cardboards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the Delhi fire incident as extremely tragic and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh, while Delhi CM announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family of the deceased.
Source: dnaindia.com