Lavkesh Bajaj, the owner of the Flourish Stay B&B where a fire killed 21 people, arrived at the scene while the blaze was raging, and stood there for about 10-15 minutes before disappearing, a local resident said on Thursday.
Wasim and police said Bajaj runs two other B&Bs in the neighbourhood and used to visit the restaurant under the Flourish Stay B&B daily. (ANI)
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Mohammed Wasim, 37, a resident, said he reached the spot around 8.30 am and saw smoke billowing from the building. “I called Bajaj at 8:52am and spoke for 26 seconds. I told him the fire was massive. He said he knew. I asked him to come and then hung up,” Wasim said.
Bajaj, he said, arrived about 10 minutes later. “I saw him standing in a white T-shirt. I was busy with rescue operations, so I didn’t talk to him, but I know he stayed there for 10-15 minutes,” Wasim added.
Wasim and police said Bajaj runs two other B&Bs in the neighbourhood and used to visit the restaurant under the Flourish Stay B&B daily. While Bajaj owned the B&B, his manager Jay Mishra was listed as the owner on the licence and was mandated to stay at the establishment. Police said Mishra – mentioned in court documents as an “accountant” – is absconding along with another man identified as Rakesh. According to court documents, Rakesh is also the manager of the B&B.
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Wasim and police said Bajaj runs two other B&Bs in the neighbourhood and used to visit the restaurant under the Flourish Stay B&B daily. While Bajaj owned the B&B, his manager Jay Mishra was listed as the owner on the licence and was mandated to stay at the establishment. Police said Mishra – mentioned in court documents as an “accountant” – is absconding along with another man identified as Rakesh. According to court documents, Rakesh is also the manager of the B&B.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Thursday sent Bajaj to four-day police custody, noting that his custodial interrogation was necessary, given the serious allegations against him.
Hemani Bhandari is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in New Delhi, where she reports on crime, policing, governance and social issues. With over a decade of experience in journalism, she specialises in combining on-ground reporting with evidence-based storytelling to examine the human impact of public policy, law enforcement and urban governance. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major developments in the capital, including crime investigations, civic challenges, protests, and issues affecting vulnerable communities. As a Special Correspondent, she focuses on producing exclusive investigations, enterprise stories and long-form features that go beyond daily news cycles. She has a keen interest in using public records, official data and field reporting to uncover systemic issues and present complex subjects in an accessible manner. A graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Hemani believes in rigorous, ethical and evidence-based reporting. She is passionate about investigative journalism and continuously seeks to expand her skills in data journalism, open-source investigations and digital reporting techniques.
Karn Pratap Singh has been writing on crime, policing, and issues of safety in Delhi for almost a decade. He covers high-intensity spot news, including terror strikes, serial blasts and security threats in the national capital.
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Home/India News/Owner reached fire-hit Delhi B&B, ‘stood for 15 mins’ before leaving: Eyewitness
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