Malviya Nagar fire: MEA confirms death of 13 foreign nationals

The MEA confirmed 13 foreign nationals died in the Malviya Nagar fire, part of a total of 21 fatalities. The deceased were from 8 countries. The hotel co-owner has been arrested. India is coordinating with embassies for support and medical aid.

MEA Confirms 13 Foreign Nationals Dead

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that 13 foreign nationals have died in the fire incident in Malviya Nagar. Addressing the weekly media briefing, Official Spokesperson of the MEA, Randhir Jaiswal said that India is in regular contact with their respective embassies to provide necessary medical assistance, facilitate paperwork, and offer any other support required.

"Regarding the Malviya Nagar fire, current information indicates that 13 foreign nationals have died. This includes one person from Mozambique, four from Nigeria, one from Liberia, three from Kyrgyzstan, one from Uzbekistan, one from Bangladesh, one from Congo, and one from Iraq. We express our deepest condolences to their families. We are in regular contact with their respective embassies to provide necessary medical assistance, facilitate paperwork, and offer any other support required. Approximately 20 to 22 foreign nationals were also injured in the incident," he said.

Hotel Co-owner Arrested

The deadly fire at a bed-and-breakfast establishment in Malviya Nagar in the national capital on Wednesday, claimed 21 lives. The Saket Court remanded hotel co-owner Lavkesh Bajaj to four days of police custody. Bajaj, arrested a day after the incident, has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, negligence endangering life, and related provisions. On Thursday, a Delhi court granted police four days' custody of the accused for further investigation. Investigators are also examining the ownership structure of the property, with sources indicating that Bajaj operates multiple hospitality units and is the sole owner of the building where the fire broke out. (ANI)

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