Hyderabad police have caught four persons in connection with the fire mishap at an electric vehicle showroom and a hotel in which eight people were killed on Monday, September 12. Those apprehended include the owners and managers of Ruby Pride Luxury Hotel, and the e-biked showroom located in the basement of the hotel building. They are yet to be arrested. Hotel owner Rajender Singh, Sumeet Singh, and two others have reportedly been caught by the police. According to IANS, Sumeet Singh was running the e-bike showroom, while Rajender Singh was running the hotel.
CCTV footage of the fire that emerged on Tuesday showed that it started near an electric scooter parked in the showroom and spread within seconds. The footage showed smoke emanating from near the wheel of an electric scooter followed by a small explosion, after which the vehicle catches fire. Earlier, police had said that they suspect that a battery or generator located in the showroom may have triggered the fire.
North Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Chandana Deepthi had told TNM that while the footage indicated that the fire appeared to have started from the batteries of the vehicle, whether the batteries were being charged, or whether the open or closed batteries sparked the fire etc. would be known only after the investigation into the fire is completed. The FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory), electricity and fire department officials have been asked to probe the fire and submit reports.
There were around 25 occupants in the hotel at the time of the mishap. Nine others were injured in the fire and rushed to various hospitals on Monday. Most of the victims were asphyxiated. According to one of the occupants of the hotel who later lodged a police complaint, he noticed smoke and fire coming out of the cellar. He, along with four others, escaped from the fifth floor to the next building and later called "100" for help. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Minister KT Ramarao condoled the loss of lives and announced ex-gratia on behalf of the Union government and state government.
With PTI and IANS inputs