Delhi hotel fire: Ayodhya Police inspect 20 hotels, issue notices

Following a deadly hotel fire in Delhi that killed 22, Ayodhya Police inspected 20 hotels and restaurants, issuing notices for safety shortcomings. The move is part of a statewide inspection drive across all public places in Uttar Pradesh.

Ayodhya Police Inspect Hotels After Delhi Fire

Ayodhya Police have inspected 20 hotels and restaurants and issued notices over shortcomings after a fire at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar killed 22 individuals, Ayodhya's Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Mahendra Pratap Singh said on Tuesday.

CFO Mahendra Pratap Singh told ANI that the administration is inspecting hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and all other public places across Uttar Pradesh after the fire tragedy in Delhi. The official said, "After the tragic incident that occurred in the hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, our DG had issued a circular stating that campaigns should be conducted to inspect hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and all other public places in all districts, and any shortcomings found there should be rectified immediately."

"We are focusing on hotels and restaurants in Ayodhya. So far, we have inspected 20 hotels and restaurants. Those in which we have noticed shortcomings will be issued notices," the CFO added.

Malviya Nagar Fire: Death Toll Rises, Accused in Custody

Meanwhile, the death toll of the Malviya Nagar fire incident, which occurred on June 3, rose to 22 after another foreign national died during treatment on Sunday.

On Monday, a Delhi court (Saket court complex) rejected the bail plea of one of the accused, Keshav Negi, the cook of the Malviya Nagar hotel, where a fire broke out. Negi was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday and was produced before the Saket Court on Monday. Judge Bhanu Pratap Singh sent Negi to 14 days of judicial custody, as sought by the Delhi Police.

Negi was brought before the Malviya Nagar court (Saket court complex) along with the key accused and owner of the hotel, Lavkesh Bajaj. After his four days of custody expired, Bajaj was sent to two days of further police custody.

Another accused in the Malviya Nagar fire case, Jay Mishra, stated to be the accountant of the hotel, surrendered before a Delhi court on Monday. The police sought time to interrogate Mishra, which was granted by the court. Mishra had allegedly been absconding since June 3. He was seen entering the court premises along with his lawyer to surrender before the authorities. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)