New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday detained the owner of Anaj Mandi factory in which a fire broke out earlier today and claimed the lives of 43 people. The owner of the building was identified as Rehan, who absconded after the fire broke out. They arrested the man and registered a case against him under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.


Rehan had purportedly gone missing earlier. "Rehan, the owner of the building against whom a case has been registered under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code, is currently absconding," Delhi Police DCP North Monika Bhardwaj had said earlier. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch, Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa said.

Watch | Delhi: Rehan, owner of building where fire broke out arrested



A total of 43 people were killed and dozens seriously injured early on Sunday when a massive fire broke out in a factory in a crowded market in West Delhi's Rani Jhansi Road area. The casualty figure is feared to increase. The people who died in the fire are labourers and they were sleeping in the factory when the fire broke out between 4.30 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Sunday morning.

The Fire Department said that they received a call around 5.22 a.m. and 25 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but the fire officials said it could be a short circuit.

Also Watch | What led to Delhi's tragic fire accident leaving 43 killed?



The blaze is said to be one of the biggest fire incidents in Delhi after the Uphaar Cinema fire which took place on June 13, 1997 in south Delhi's Green Park area leading to the deaths of 59 people and left over 100 injured.

Meanwhile, there have been high profile visits like that of Union minister Hardeep Puri, Kejriwal himself and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. Also, there have been a slew of announcements of compensation for the victims.

While Delhi government announced Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively for the families of killed and injured, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned Rs 2 lakh and Rs 50 thousand. Delhi unit of the BJP has also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for families of killed and Rs 25,000 for the injured.