Page 3 - Delhi

Saket building collapse: Two builders who fled to Dehradun, Manali arrested

Delhi Police has arrested two builders in connection with the collapse of a multi-storey building in south Delhi's Saidulajab that killed six people and injured eight last month, officials said on Tuesday. The accused, Avneesh Gupta and Manish Khatri, were arrested from Vasant Kunj after an extensive search operation. Investigators said the duo had fled Delhi immediately after the May 30 incident and kept changing locations to evade arrest. According to police sources, the two builders first travelled to Dehradun and later moved to Manali, where they remained on the run for several days. To avoid detection, they allegedly refrained from staying in hotels so that no official records of their whereabouts would be generated. Sources said the accused largely relied on public transport and travelled on foot instead of using private vehicles or app-based cabs. They also kept their mobile phones switched off for most of the time and turned them on only briefly, twice a day, to contact fa

Delhi hotel fire: Cook arrested, several others detained for negligence

Delhi Police has arrested the cook of a south Delhi hotel where a devastating fire killed 21 people earlier this week, with investigators alleging that his negligence played a role in triggering the blaze, officials said on Saturday. Several other individuals connected with the establishment have also been detained and are being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation into the fire at Flourish Stays Bed and Breakfast in Malviya Nagar's Hauz Rani area, they said. According to police sources, preliminary findings indicate that the actions of the cook, identified as Keshav Negi, may have contributed to the outbreak of the fire. Investigators are examining the exact sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the blaze, while questioning hotel staff and other persons associated with the property's operations. The latest arrest comes as the Delhi Police widens its probe into the tragedy, examining alleged safety violations, unauthorised expansion of rooms and the role of

Delhi PWD brings down large national flags to prevent weather damage

After getting several complaints of damage, the Public Works Department has decided to bring down all 500 national flags across Delhi, officials said on Saturday. The PWD has hoisted large national flags at around 500 prime locations in Delhi, but due to bad weather, including strong winds in the past few days, several of these were damaged. "We will re-hoist the flags after the thunderstorm warning of IDM is cleared. Due to strong winds and bad weather, several flags were torn and damaged, so we have decided to bring all of them down across the city to prevent further damage," a PWD officer said. According to an official, these 115-foot-high flagpoles have been installed at around 500 locations. The flags are made out of polyester material to prevent them from frequent damage. However, they could not withstand strong winds. The work of installing national flags started in 2022 when the previous AAP government, under its 'Deshbhakti' budget, announced the initiative to cover the ..

You can remove our social media posts, but not us: CJP founder Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), arrived in Delhi on Saturday ahead of a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, and urged supporters to maintain discipline and ensure that the protest remains peaceful. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has also expressed support for the protest, stated that he would undertake a six-week fast if Dipke is arrested. In a post on X, Dipke expressed excitement about meeting supporters at Jantar Mantar and encouraged them to bring a book and the national flag. He also urged participants to offer flowers to police personnel as a "gesture of compassion and gratitude," emphasising that the movement should be led with "love and peace." "Landed. Looking forward to meeting you all at Jantar Mantar. Do not forget to carry a book and our Tiranga! Offer flowers to policemen as a gesture of compassion & gratitude. We have to lead this movement with love and peace!" he said. The protest has been organised by the CJP, a ...

Delhi fire: Hotel owner held in 2025 for aiding Bangladeshis' illegal stay

The owner of the Malviya Nagar hotel where a fire claimed 21 lives earlier this week, had been arrested last year for "facilitating" illegal stay of Bangladesh nationals through allegedly ill-begotten Indian documents, police records show. Lavkesh Bajaj, proprietor of Flourish Stays B&B, is currently in four-day police custody in connection with the devastating fire at the south Delhi establishment on Wednesday. Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the blaze and are searching for other persons associated with the hotel's management. According to police, Bajaj was among the accused in a case registered at Paharganj police station on January 29, 2025, over alleged illegal stay of Bangladesh nationals in central Delhi using Indian identity documents obtained through fraudulent means. The case was filed under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). During the investigation, police found that two persons, identified as Sweety Sarkar alias Beauty ...

Malviya Nagar fire: MCD to start 'sealing' illegal commercial buildings

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will begin action against unauthorised commercial establishments in south Delhi, initiating a sealing drive against structures found violating building bye-laws and licence conditions, officials said on Thursday. The move comes days after a deadly fire at a bed-and-breakfast facility in Malviya Nagar claimed multiple lives and exposed large-scale violations, including operating beyond permitted capacity and absence of a sanctioned building plan, according to officials. A senior MCD official said the building where the incident took place had never been booked for any violation earlier. "It was never brought on record for any violation. The building plan was also never sanctioned," a senior MCD official said, requesting anonymity. Officials also pointed to irregularities in a food outlet operating from the ground floor of the same building. "Under the B&B scheme, commercial kitchens or full-fledged restaurants are not permitted. Only limited

Renaissance classic, Botticelli's Madonna and Child, on display in Delhi

On display at Italian cultural centre, it will later be exhibited at Humayun's Tomb Museum before travelling to Bengaluru

Several foreigners among 21 killed in hotel fire in Delhi's Malviya Nagar

Ten people were killed and several injured on Wednesday when a massive fire broke out in a restaurant in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar, officials said. Three people were rescued from the basement of the Lemon Green Restaurant, an official of the Delhi Fire Service said. Multiple fire tenders were rushed to control the blaze around 8.50 am. They were shifted to a hospital by CATS ambulances for medical treatment. Their condition was not immediately known. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited.

Delhi govt to scrap B&B policy after Malviya Nagar hotel fire kills 21

In the wake of the devastating fire at a hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area that claimed 21 lives on Wednesday, the Delhi government has decided to officially withdraw its Bed and Breakfast policy and review all establishments operating under the scheme, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said. The announcement comes after a massive fire ripped through the Flourish Stay B&B on Wednesday morning, leaving 21 people dead, including 11 foreign nationals, and several injured. "We are going to officially withdraw the Bed and Breakfast scheme, and all establishments licensed under it will be checked," Mishra told PTI. "Action would be taken against operators found violating the terms of the licence. If any establishment registered under the scheme is found running more than six rooms, its licence will be cancelled," the minister said. According to Mishra, Flourish Stay was granted a licence under the B&B scheme in 2024 in the Silver category for six rooms, with validity until ...

Visuals | Massive fire in Delhi: 21 killed in hotel fire in Delhi's Malviya Nagar

A massive fire broke out in a bed and breakfast hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people. Several of those killed are foreigners, mainly from Central Asia and Afr

Delhi L-G orders curb on illegal construction after Saket building collapse

Days after the building collapse in Saket, Lt Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has directed the MCD to strictly enforce building bylaws to curb illegal structural expansions in the city. Sandhu chaired a high-level review meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday to drive a comprehensive action plan for stronger urban governance, improved civic infrastructure, and enhanced structural safety across the capital, he said in a X post on Wednesday. The review was held following a building collapse in Saket on Saturday, that claimed six lives and left several injured. Several lapses related to the building have come to the fore even as the MCD has suspended two engineers over the incident. Sandhu emphasised strict enforcement of building bylaws to curb illegal structural expansions and directed the MCD to implement a time-bound strategy to tackle unauthorised constructions decisively. The LG also reviewed key civic priorities, including desilting of stormwater drains .

Over 75% of Delhi remained heat-stressed for six years or more: Report

About 75.78 per cent of Delhi's area remained heat-stressed for six or more years between 2015 and 2024, with a majority of construction sites, marketplaces and schools located in areas experiencing recurring extreme heat, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report, titled "Making Delhi Heat-Resilient: A Roadmap with the Focus on Vulnerable Groups", said that 98.72 per cent of Delhi's total area crossed the heat-stress threshold at least once during the decade. According to the study, 92 per cent of construction projects are located in areas where land surface temperatures crossed the 45 degrees Celsius threshold at least once between 2015 and 2024, while 77 per cent are in areas witnessing recurring extreme heat. About 84 per cent of the 643 mapped marketplaces, including major mandis, are situated in areas experiencing recurrent heat stress, while 76 per cent of mapped informal settlements housing nearly 1.32 million people are located in ...

House collapses after LPG blast in north Delhi; 11 injured, 1 critical

Many residents were feared trapped after a single-storey house collapsed in an LPG blast in north Delhi's Mukundpur area on Tuesday morning, an official of the Delhi Fire Service said. The incident happened at Gali No. 1, Part-2, Ishu Vihar, near the cremation ground, he said. A caller reported the blast at 9.37 am, saying residents may be trapped. "We got information that a blast took place and a building collapsed due to which some people are trapped. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and launched operations," the officer said. Five rescue vehicles were rushed to the spot, he added.

Death toll in Saket building collapse reaches 6; 2 MCD engineers suspended

Death toll in the Saket building collapse rises to six; FIR lodged, two MCD engineers suspended and a magisterial inquiry ordered

Several feared trapped as five-storey building collapses in Delhi

The entire five-storey structure collapsed, flattening into a massive mound of rubble, according to officials at the site

Lack of water, shelter at Delhi govt hospitals amid heatwave: Report

A field audit conducted by an NGO has flagged gaps in heatwave relief measures for homeless people and patient attendants outside government hospitals in Delhi, with many reporting lack of access to water, shelter and medical assistance during the ongoing summer conditions. According to the report released by Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) and its director Sunil Aledhia, all 35 vulnerable persons surveyed during the audit reported symptoms linked to heat-related illnesses while staying outside hospitals during the heatwave period. The report stated that 97.1 per cent of the surveyed people did not receive any medical screening, triage support or emergency assistance, while 85.7 per cent said they were unaware of official heatwave alerts issued by authorities. The NGO also claimed that only 20 per cent of respondents were able to access shelters run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). It alleged that among those who accessed shelters, many reported lack of .

JAC Delhi Counselling 2026 registration begins, check how to apply & more

The Joint Admission Committee (JAC) has opened the registration and choice filling window with JEE Mains ranks to apply for the JAC Delhi counselling process. The deadline to apply is Jun 9

Air India's San Francisco-bound plane returns to Delhi after technical snag

After being airborne for over eight hours, a San Francisco-bound Air India plane, carrying around 230 passengers, returned to the national capital due to a technical issue on Wednesday morning, according to sources. "The aircraft landed safely and will undergo technical inspection in line with Air India's safety standards," the airline said in a statement. A source said there were around 230 passengers on board the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft. "Flight AI173 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 27 has returned to Delhi due to a technical issue in accordance with the laid down procedures," the airline said. Information available with the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com showed that the plane was airborne for over eight hours. The aircraft started diverting back to the national capital after being airborne for over three hours when it was in Chinese airspace. Regretting the inconvenience caused to the passengers, Air India said it was making alternative arrangements to fly them

Delhi to undergo SIR on June 30, final electoral roll on October 7

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters list will begin in Delhi with door-to-door visits by booth-level officers from June 30 in a transparent manner, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Kumar said on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, Kumar said that from June 20 to June 29, training of booth-level officers (BLOs) and printing of enumeration forms and other papers will be underway as the in-house activity for the SIR. There are checks and balances at every step of the verification process, and political parties will be involved through booth-level agents (BLAs). All the information will be shared through the website of the CEO's office, he said. Awareness activities will be carried out, and special camps will be set up to help voters submit their enumeration forms, Kumar said. The voters will be provided two copies of the enumeration forms, one of which will be filled out and returned to the BLOs. The voters will also have the facility to submit completed enumeratio

Delhi records highest-ever May peak power demand of 8,439 MW: SLDC data

Delhi's electricity demand crossed 8 GW for the fourth time in six days as soaring temperatures pushed peak power consumption to a record May high