Eight members of a Gurugram family who had come to Delhi to meet their critically ill relative, who was admitted to a private hospital across the road, died in a fire that broke out at a bed and breakfast facility in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani on Wednesday.
Police identified the victims as Vivek Agarwal, 45, a chartered accountant and director in a private company; His wife, Tarjani, 43, who worked at an event management company; Their daughters Jeevisha, 20, who was pursuing an engineering course in Bengaluru; and Faria, 18, who recently started Grade 11. Vivek’s mother, Premlata, 71; Uncle Ashok; Her aunt Kamla Goyal and her husband Javeri Lal Goyal, who came from Ajmer in Rajasthan, were also killed.
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The family came to meet Vivek
They had all come to meet Vivek’s 77-year-old father, Radhe Shyam Agarwal, who was seriously ill and doctors at Max Hospital had told them he might not survive.
“I never knew fate could be so cruel,” said Naresh Gupta, Vivek’s uncle, from Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he arrived to identify the bodies. “The one who was going to leave is still in intensive care, while his entire family who gathered to say goodbye to him is no longer there.”
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal, at least 21 people – 12 foreigners and 9 Indians – were killed in the fire that is suspected to have broken out in a ground floor restaurant at around 8.30 am.
Besides the eight Gurugram residents, police have identified Shrutika Baranwal as one of the deceased.
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A TISS student was also killed
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai had earlier said that one of its students was killed in the fire.
In a statement, TISS said: “It is with deep sadness that we mourn the sudden demise of our student, Shrutika Baranwal, from the Water Policy and Governance Program (2024-2026), School of Habitat Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences… This heartbreaking loss has saddened the entire TISS community. Her presence, aspirations and contributions will remain a cherished part of our institution.”
Baranwal, who belongs to Jharkhand, had recently graduated and was in Delhi for a job, according to people who knew her at TISS.
Speaking to HT, Benedict, an interpreter and resident of a guesthouse in the area, identified one of the deceased as Sita Beatrice from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a patient he was helping.
“She was 53 years old. She had high blood pressure and diabetes, and she came here for routine checkups.”
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) identified four other foreign nationals killed as Rowland (40), a woman from Liberia; Chibambashile (40 years old) from Mozambique; Tolkinoff Capomium (40); and Mukhbirat Khun Kochkarwa, 75 years old, without providing further details.
Twelve others have not yet been identified.
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The Gurugram family contacted their relatives
Vivek’s cousin Vikram told HT that the family moved into the B&B three days ago after they were told that the father was in a bad condition.
“It was easier to stay close to the hospital than to travel from Gurugram every day, which is why they moved here.”
When their relatives reached Delhi after the fire, they split into two groups: one went to Max where Vivek’s father is still under treatment, and the other to AIIMS.
Another relative at AIIMS, who requested anonymity, said Vivek called his family after the fire first broke out.
“Vivek was on the fourth floor when the fire broke out. He told us he ran downstairs but it was blocked… There was probably a lot of smoke. He called and said they were all stuck and needed help.”
However, by the time the family members reached Delhi, the worst had already happened. Vikram said he helped Delhi sack those responsible for the rescue operation. “I helped them carry my brother’s body. I also performed CPR on him but to no avail,” he told HT.
Another relative who reached the spot also shared the challenges of the rescue. Another relative said: “There was no place for ambulances to enter because of the parked cars. We had to break the windows of some cars and move them so that the ambulance could arrive.”
In one of the corners, Vivek’s father-in-law was sitting. “I called my daughter Tarjani in the morning and told her that I would bring food for all of them. She told me that everyone was asleep and would wake up late, so I should visit them later. Around 8:40 a.m., I called my granddaughter but she did not answer my call. Minutes later, we heard about the fire.”
“I lost everything,” he added.
One of his relatives, who requested to remain anonymous, said: “I had a detailed conversation with Tarjani over the phone on Tuesday evening, where she shared with me all the details of her father-in-law’s condition.”
She even received a good morning text from Terjani on Wednesday, “like every day.” Hours later, I learned of her death.
“Since then, I’ve checked her letter several times, but I couldn’t believe it was no longer there,” she said.
Vivek and Tarjani’s daughter Jeevisha also traveled by plane that evening. “They were going to take Vivek’s father off ventilator support. So, Vivek immediately booked a flight to Jevisha and returned home on Tuesday evening,” she said.
All that remains of the family at the scene of the accident now is a white Mercedes.
