‘Mystery’ woman caught on CCTV entering building before fire in Delhi's Tughlakabad

IN a spectacular evolution in the fateful Tughlakabad filename extension go off that killed three members of a family on Friday morning, police have unearthed CCTV footage from the vicinity that shows a woman—face covered with a dupatta—entering the building just before the blast and then quickly exiting the premises, all within a few minutes, according to police.They are currently trying to identify the woman, officers aware of the developments said. The footage was captured by cameras installed outside a residence opposite the building and accessed by HT.Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Hemant Tiwari said that investigators have launched efforts to identify and trace the woman. “At this stage, we cannot say why she had entered the building, whether she had come to meet someone, or whether she had any role in the incident. All angles are being examined,” he said.Residents claimed the woman was seen heading towards the parking area shortly before the fire. Investigators are currently analysing the footage alongside other evidence collected from the scene.Saurav Sharma, a 35-year-old man, who was among the first responders, said, “We only saw the footage today and when we spoke to some locals, they said that they saw the woman rushing”.Police officers, however, stressed that no conclusion has been drawn on the woman’s role and that the cause of the fire can only be established after a detailed forensic examination.A senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said that it was also suspected that the fire started from an electric scooter that was being charged. “One of the deceased, Pankaj Pandey, also owned an electric scooter. The fire may have started from the same scooter, but that’s a matter of investigation. A team from the forensic department visited the spot again on Saturday,” the officer said.The fire tore through the residential building in southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad Extension around 2.30am on Friday, killing 70-year-old Sushila Devi, her grandson Pankaj Pandey, 28, and granddaughter Soni, 20. Two other family members, Guddi Devi, 50, and Mani, 18, suffered serious injuries but are now stated to be out of danger, according to police.Three women living on the top floor of the building, Mumtaz and her two sisters, were also injured.The fire, police said, started on the ground floor parking where at least seven two-wheelers, including the electric scooter, were parked. Soon, the smoke from the fire engulfed the entire building, trapping residents, especially those on the upper floors.A case has been registered at Govindpuri police station under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unknown persons. The tragedy has once again highlighted serious concerns about building safety in Delhi’s densely populated unauthorised and regularised colonies.According to fire department officials, the building offered virtually no means of escape once smoke filled the structure. Built on a roughly 100-square-yard plot, it housed 10 flats, two on each floor, and lacked fire exits, ventilation systems and firefighting equipment.