Twenty-one people died in a fire that engulfed a New Delhi hotel, prompting the arrest of the hotel's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, on June 3. Police took Bajaj into custody late Wednesday, hours after the blaze tore through the building, which housed both residents and guests. Among the dead were nine Indians and several foreigners, including a national from Liberia and another from Mozambique, who have been formally identified. Investigators are examining potential safety violations, focusing on whether proper fire prevention measures were in place. The hotel had not undergone recent fire safety inspections, and emergency exits were reportedly obstructed. No official cause of the fire has been confirmed, but early findings suggest electrical faults may have played a role. Authorities have not released the names of all victims or detailed the exact sequence of events leading to the rapid spread of flames. The building lacked adequate firefighting equipment, a recurring issue in urban fires across India. The Delhi Fire Service confirmed it responded to the incident, but thick smoke and structural damage delayed rescue operations. An official inquiry is ongoing, and further arrests could follow depending on the investigation's findings. Bajaj is expected to appear in court as legal proceedings begin.
Lavkesh Bajaj was arrested only after 21 people died in a fire at his hotel, not before, despite the building operating without verified fire safety measures. The deaths of nine Indians and foreign nationals from Liberia and Mozambique occurred in a structure where emergency exits were blocked and firefighting equipment was absent. If safety checks had been enforced before the fire, not after, some of those 21 lives might have been spared. The arrest followed the tragedy rather than preventing it.
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