B&B chef arrested for ‘crucial’ role in fire that killed 21 guests

New Delhi: Police have arrested a chef whose alleged actions, they suspect, contributed to a higher death toll in the Hauz Rani B&B fire that claimed 21 lives.Keshav Negi, a 65-year-old resident of Dilshad Garden and the chef at Flourish Stay Bed and Breakfast in Malviya Nagar’s Hauz Rani, was arrested on Saturday. Police said Negi was taken into custody after nearly six hours of interrogation, during which investigators pieced together his role in the sequence of events that unfolded on Wednesday morning.According to sources, Negi said the fire had broken out shortly after he switched on an electric stove in the kitchen. He claimed the appliance exploded, triggering a massive blaze that rapidly spread through the building. Amid thick smoke and panic, Negi allegedly switched off the B&B’s main power supply before fleeing the premises.Investigators believe that switching off the supply might have had catastrophic consequences as the building’s electronic door-locking system became inoperative following this, trapping several occupants inside as smoke and flames spread. They suspect that a number of guests couldn’t escape as access routes became blocked when the electronic locking system failed. A husband and wife were found dead inside a bathroom. They probably suffocated after being unable to open the door, police said.“Investigation has revealed negligence on part of the chef, which may have contributed to the circumstances leading to the deaths,” a police source said, adding that further interrogation is on.Earlier, police arrested B&B owner Lovkesh Bajaj and booked him for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.Investigators are examining multiple alleged violations at the property, including unauthorised construction, fire safety deficiencies and operational lapses. According to the FIR, the B&B was operating 28 rooms despite having permission for only six. Authorities have also alleged that safety systems were inadequate and the basement exit was locked when rescue teams arrived, forcing firefighters to break open the entrance.Police are also searching for Jay Mishra, an associate and accountant linked to the establishment, who has been absconding since the incident. Multiple teams have been deployed to trace him. Police said several B&B employees and others connected to the property were being questioned.