65-yr-old woman charred as fire breaks out inside washroom of Badarpur house

A 65-year-old woman was found charred in an abandoned rooftop toilet in Delhi, suspected to have died in an accidental fire while smoking.

A 65-year-old woman was found charred inside an abandoned rooftop toilet after a fire broke out at a house in Molarband area of south-east Delhi’s Badarpur on Saturday night, police said.

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Police said they received a PCR call at Badarpur police station regarding a blaze in a house in J Block.

Upon reaching the spot, police found that a fire broke out inside an abandoned toilet structure on the second-floor rooftop of the house. The structure contained wood pieces and garbage, police said.

During inspection, the team discovered a charred body, later identified as Veenu Singh (65), police said.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the woman often used the secluded rooftop area to smoke.

Deputy commissioner of police (south-east) Hemant Tiwari said investigators suspect the fire may have been accidental. “It came to light that the woman would often go to the isolated rooftop toilet area to smoke. It appears that a fire accidentally started while she was smoking and she was unable to escape,” Tiwari said.

Police said the victim is survived by her three sons. “The crime team inspected the site. The family has not alleged any foul play,” the officer added.

The body has been preserved at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for postmortem.

Police said inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been initiated and probe is underway.