Delhi Fire Claims 21 Lives in Malviya Nagar Restaurant

A fire broke out on June 3 at the multi‑storey Lemon Green restaurant in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, killing 21 people. Among the dead were 17 foreign nationals from Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh, while 9 Indians also perished. Police rescued 47 others, 26 of whom remain under treatment.

Delhi police have launched a manhunt for the hotel owner, identified as Lokesh Bajaj, and have conducted coordinated raids across the capital. The case has been registered under culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Investigators have ruled out an LPG cylinder blast, attributing the blaze to a short circuit in the kitchen wiring. DNA profiling of the foreign victims has been completed, and a list of their identities has been sent to the Ministry of External Affairs for repatriation.

The investigation continues with forensic examinations of the premises and scrutiny of the restaurant’s safety standards.