Hotel owner in custody, hunt on for manager: Delhi hotel fire prompts action as 21 dead | Key updates

ANew delhi margaret court on th sent Lavkesh Bajaj, possessor of brandish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast establishment in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area where a massive fire killed 21 people, including 12 foreign nationals, to four days' police custody.The order came after Delhi Police sought his custodial interrogation as investigators continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the blaze, reported news agency PTI. Police are also searching for the hotel's manager, HT had reported earlier.The development comes as forensic teams examine evidence collected from the site to determine the cause of the fire, while authorities have stepped up inspections across the city in the wake of the tragedy.Police probe gathers pace: 10 key updatesDelhi Police have registered a case against Bajaj under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, damage to property, negligence endangering human life, grievous hurt by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to fire.Investigators are now focusing on the sequence of events that led to the blaze at Flourish Stay B&B in Malviya Nagar. Officials said the exact cause of the fire has not yet been established.A forensic team has collected samples from the site and is examining them to determine what triggered the fire, reported PTI. Authorities are also scrutinising safety measures and compliance records linked to the establishment.The fire broke out on Wednesday morning, trapping several occupants inside the hotel and triggering a major rescue operation. Many of those staying at the hotel were foreign nationals who had come to Delhi to attend to relatives receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. The incident resulted in 21 deaths and left dozens injured.Fifteen people injured in the fire are currently undergoing treatment at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket. According to hospital authorities, all admitted patients are stable. Six patients continue to be on ventilator support. Doctors said all six are stable and are showing gradual signs of improvement under close medical supervision.In the aftermath of the tragedy, Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi said a joint task force has been formed to carry out inspections and identify violations across properties. Speaking to ANI, Wahi said, “Following the meeting convened by the Lieutenant Governor (LG), a joint task force comprising the DM, DC, CP, and AC has been constituted, and this team is continuously conducting inspections. Wherever violations are detected--be it in specific properties or premises--those establishments will be sealed.”Delhi Police have launched a search for Jai Mishra, the manager of Flourish Stay in south Delhi's Hauz Rani area, after the devastating fire that killed 21 people, including 12 foreign nationals. Investigators said the hotel's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, who was arrested on Wednesday night, told them that Mishra was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the establishment.According to police, Mishra has been missing since the fire broke out around 8.45 am on Wednesday.The investigation has also uncovered multiple alleged violations at the property. Officials said the bed-and-breakfast had been operating for seven to eight years without a no-objection certificate from the Delhi Fire Services and lacked a designated fire exit. They added that the establishment was running 26 rooms despite approval for only six."Bajaj disclosed that Mishra handled the daily operations of the business establishment. We arrested Bajaj on Wednesday night. Mishra is absconding, and our teams are conducting raids to nab him," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said.(With inputs from HT's Karn Pratap Singh)