Sultanpuri factory fire: owner’s son held

Following a major fire that broke out in a shoe factory in outer Delhi’s Sultanpuri which killed four persons on Monday, the police have arrested the factory owner’s son on Tuesday, the police said.

Factory owner Biresh Gupta was arrested on Monday and his son Nitesh Gupta (28) was arrested on Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) M.N. Tiwari said.

“Mr. Biresh Gupta is the owner of the premises but the business was running in the name of his son. He was also arrested,” Mr. Tiwari said.

On whether the factory was running illegally, Mr. Tiwari said the accused produced a few documents including, Insured Person Registration, a document wherein the employer and its employees are identified for record, and tax registration, however, they have not provided any document regarding clearance from the fire department.

“We have not received any document from them which states that they had clearance from fire department. Further investigation is underway,” he said.

Case registered

A case under Sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered.

The fire broke out around 6.30 a.m. on Monday when nearly 50 persons were sleeping inside the factory.

Though most of them managed to escape the three-storey building, four were killed in the incident.

The deceased were identified as Mohd Razi (20), Mohd Shamu (17), brothers Mahbub Barish (18) and Ayub (17), all from Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi.

The post-mortem was conducted on Monday and the bodies have been handed over to families for last rites.