New Delhi, March 24 The NHRC said on Tuesday that it has issued a notice to the Delhi government and the city's police chief over the death of nine members of a family in a fire incident in the Palam area earlier this month, and has sought a detailed report on it within two weeks.
According to reports, the fire brigade teams' hydraulic crane allegedly "experienced a technical malfunction," resulting in a delayed rescue operation. Local residents have said that the equipment could have functioned properly and saved more lives, the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement.
A 70-year-old woman and three young girls – one just three years old – from the family were killed in the massive fire that engulfed a four-story residential building in southwest Delhi's Palam area on the morning of March 18.
The NHRC said it has taken cognizance of a media report that nine members of a family died and three others were injured in the fire.
The Commission has observed that, if true, the content of the news report raises a serious issue of violation of human rights.
Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Commissioner of Police of Delhi, seeking a detailed report within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of compensation disbursement to the affected and injured persons, the statement said.
According to the media report, carried on March 19, the fire reportedly started around 6:15 am, allegedly due to a short circuit. It started from a shop on the ground floor and quickly spread to the residential floors above.
Reportedly, local residents tried to rescue those trapped by breaking windows and walls of the house. Some were injured while reportedly trying to escape or rescue others, the statement said.