Subhash Nagar blast: Delhi teacher succumbs to burn injuries, family alleges IGL negligence

School teacher Vijay Kumar, 48, dies from burn injuries after gas pipeline blast due to alleged negligence by Indraprastha Gas Limited.

Forty-eight-year-old school teacher Vijay Kumar, who was injured in a gas pipeline blast in Subhash Nagar on May 25, succumbed to his burn injuries at Safdarjung Hospital on Monday, June 2. Following his death, his family filed an FIR alleging that the blast occurred due to negligence on the part of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), which failed to act on repeated complaints of a gas leak.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred around 10.20pm on May 25 when the victim, who was staying in a rented ground-floor flat in Subhash Nagar, switched on the lights and a blast allegedly occurred due to a leak in an IGL pipeline. (Representative photo)

According to the FIR, a copy of which was seen by HT, the incident occurred around 10.20pm on May 25 when Kumar, who was staying in a rented ground-floor flat in Subhash Nagar, switched on the lights and a blast allegedly occurred due to a leak in an IGL pipeline.

The family alleged that although there was no IGL connection in Kumar’s rented accommodation, a gas pipeline passed through the flat to supply a residence on the upper floor.

Family members and neighbours claimed they had been smelling gas since May 18 and had lodged a complaint with IGL the same day. However, no effective action was taken to address the leak, they alleged.

According to the FIR, Kumar, a resident of Najafgarh, had rented the flat four months ago as he was on census duty and commuting from Najafgarh was proving difficult.

The FIR also stated that another resident of the building, Varun Wadhwa, 40, had complained about the gas leak on May 18.

“The complaint was raised by a neighbour on May 18 and a ticket was also issued. Later, an IGL official visited the spot, but he never checked the entire area or took any substantial action. Had they conducted a thorough inspection, this incident that cost my father his life would not have happened,” Vansh said.

“At the house where my father was staying, there was no IGL connection, but the line ran through his home to another flat. My father was using an LPG cylinder for cooking and those cylinders are completely intact. The police have also noted this. Only the IGL pipeline is damaged. Is there going to be no accountability for my father’s death?” he added.

Kumar was the sole earning member of the family, his relatives said.

IGL, however, denied the allegations and said preliminary findings do not support claims that the incident was linked to an active IGL gas connection.

“The IGL pipeline at the specified ground-floor premises in Subhash Nagar was installed in 2017. However, this connection was never activated by the customer. Upon inspection, IGL pipelines at the premises were found to have been removed or tampered with. Such action poses a severe safety threat to residents and the building. IGL did not receive any leakage complaints from the ground floor or from residents of the upper floors of this building, who are active registered IGL users,” an IGL official said on condition of anonymity.

“A separate leakage complaint was received from a neighbouring property on May 18. This was promptly inspected, a minor leak was identified within the complainant’s premises and it was rectified. The completion of the work is supported by a duly signed service record from the customer,” the official added.

NEED A POLICE QUOTE.

Was an FIR really filed only after Kumar died, or was an existing case converted to a more serious offence after his death?