NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has recorded the statements of over 35 students in connection with the fire incident that took place at a building, which houses coaching centres, in Mukherjee Nagar on Thursday.Police sources said that most of the students were not aware of the fire safety arrangements at their coaching institutes.Meanwhile, cops are also probing whether there was any foul play in the case or if someone intentionally set the fire to get some monetary claims. A senior officer said, “Investigation was going on from all angles.”Another officer said despite knowing that several students would come to study at their coaching centres, owners of the institutes running from the building did not make any fire safety arrangements.Cops are also scanning documents from the building to ascertain ownership. “We are checking whether the building was sold floorwise to several people or it was rented,” an officer said. However, according to the first information report, cops have named one person as the owner.After the fire incident, a case under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of IPC was registered.Police said four students were still receiving treatment at the hospital.Meanwhile, the fire department may prepare some fresh guidelines and carry out surveys at coaching centres. An officer said that most of the coaching institutes were not regularised.While investigating the case, police arrested the owner of a coaching institute and the chief executive officer of another coaching centre. The cops claimed that they found gross negligence in the fire safety arrangements at both the coaching institutes.An investigation revealed that there was no water in the tank on the roof of the building, fire hydrants were not in working condition, and no smoke indicators were installed.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/cops-probe-foul-play-angle-in-coaching-centre-fire/articleshow/101075543.cms
