80-year-old dies after news of grandson’s death in fire
NEWDELHI: The grandfather of one of the four workers, who were killed in Monday’s Sultanpuri shoe factory fire, died of cardiac arrest at his native village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi soon after he got the news of his grandson’s death.
Police on Wednesday arrested Biresh Gupta, father of the factory owner Nitesh Gupta, on alleged charges of negligence that led to the deaths of four workers. “We booked Biresh because he is the owner of the building and had allowed his son to run the illegal factory in the residential colony. Also, the building lacked fire fighting arrangements,” said MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (outer).
The family was preparing for the wedding of Ali Mohammad, the elder brother of the dead worker Razi Mohammad, scheduled on May 9. But the deaths of two close ones have left the family members in shock and mourning.
“The family has called off the wedding,” said Rahees, a friend of Razi Mohammad. Ali, too, was present in the factory when the blaze started.
While he managed to get out of the building, his brother Razi was trapped inside and died, reportedly due to suffocation.
Ali Mohammad confirmed the death of his 80-year-old grandfather, Mehmadool Haq, when he was contacted over the phone on Wednesday. “My grandfather was fit and fine though he was a diabetic and suffering from heart ailment. I was at the Sultanpuri police station when a neighbour from my village informed me about his death,” said Ali.
Ali said Razi was close to their grandfather and they cared for each other since their father died some 10 years ago.
With no proper source of income, the two brothers moved to Delhi three years ago and started working in factories.
“My brother and I had planned to visit our village for my wedding on April 20. But God had something else in store for us. The fire has taken away everything from me,” Ali said.