Man dies in Najafgarh fire, police suspect lit beedi led to blaze

The exact cause of the fire could not be ascertained, police said, but added that they suspect that the victim fell asleep with a lit beedi, leading to the blaze.

New Delhi A 42-year-old man died after a fire broke out in his house in southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh in the early hours of Tuesday, police said. The exact cause of the fire could not be ascertained, police said, but added that they suspect that the victim, identified as Rajender Dagar, fell asleep with a lit beedi, leading to the blaze.

Police said the body has been shifted to Rao Tula Ram hospital for inquest proceedings. (AFP file)

Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Harsha Vardhan Mandava said the Najafgarh police station was informed about a fire at 4.23 am on Tuesday. When a police team reached the house, it found that the fire was in a room that was bolted from inside. The fire was doused and the door was broken open, and the charred body of Dagar was found near the door.

“There is a possibility that Dagar slept off while smoking a beedi. It seems the burning beedi fell on the bed and it caught fire,” said a police officer aware of the matter, on condition of anonymity.

Police added that Dagar’s family said that he would often return home drunk, and thus had a separate room.

The DCP said, “Prime facie, it appeared that the man had attempted to rescue himself by opening the door. However, he probably failed in his attempt and suffocated because of the smoke that had engulfed the room. The body has been shifted to Rao Tula Ram hospital for inquest proceedings.”