Delhi Tughlakabad Fire Arson Investigation Three Arrested Minor Detained
The Delhi Police have revealed that a devastating fire in Southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad on June 12, which claimed three lives, was not an accident but a planned act of arson. Four individuals, including a 17-year-old minor girl and three adults—Niranjan (33), Rajkumar (27), and Saritha (27)—have been apprehended in connection with the incident. The police stated that a personal grudge arising from a financial dispute led to the crime.
Initially investigated as an accident, the probe took a turn when CCTV footage showed a female suspect entering and quickly exiting the building just before the fire broke out. The police subsequently detained a 17-year-old girl from Govindpuri, who confessed to setting fire to a parked scooter in the parking area. Investigators found that Saritha had instigated the minor to burn the scooter belonging to a resident named Deepak over a financial dispute, even providing her with petrol and matches. The fire rapidly spread from the vehicle to other parked two-wheelers and eventually engulfed the entire building.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of three residents—Pankaj, Sushila Devi, and Sonia Kumari—who succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment, while others remain hospitalized. According to the police, the mastermind behind the conspiracy is Niranjan, a history-sheeter recently released from jail who has a record of using minors for illegal activities. The accused have been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including conspiracy, murder attempt, and culpable homicide.
