It was the couple who made a call to the assistant manager of the hotel, Vikas Kumar and informed him about the fire. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)Hotel Arpit Palace did not keep any record of the seven Myanmar nationals in their guest register, the Crime Branch investigation revealed Friday.
On Friday, the Crime Branch’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) scanned all records, including guest registers of the hotel, but could not locate the names of the seven Myanmar nationals — two of whom died and a third who was injured in the blaze.
“Investigation also revealed that a Patiala-based couple had checked into the hotel on February 11 around 7.30 pm. They stayed in room number 109, from where the fire broke out. They, too, were not in hotel records,” a senior police officer said.
It was the couple who made a call to the assistant manager of the hotel, Vikas Kumar, and informed him about the fire. Police are likely to summon them for questioning and make them witnesses. “Vikas and supervisor Lal Chand rushed to the room. But, by then, pillows and bedsheets had caught fire and it spread quickly. The two, however, managed to rescue the couple,” said the officer.
Experts, along with members of the SIU, Friday revisited the hotel and conducted a 3-D mapping of the hotel. “A team from FARO used 3-D scanners to complete photography of the ground, terrace and first floor. We have told the team that their primary aim is to make sure there was no case of arson in the hotel, and stressed on the need to ascertain if faulty wiring was used,” said DCP (crime) Rajesh Deo.
“We have also written to the MCD to produce building plans. As soon as 3-D imaging is complete, we will superimpose their model onto the map to have a list of violations in the simulation. The FARO team will Saturday start the photography on the second floor, the blocked entrance and the galleries,” he added. Several teams of the SIU are conducting raids to nab the owner’s elder brother, who is allegedly absconding, police said.
