A couple and their two-year-old child were killed in a devastating fire that engulfed their hutment in Delhi's Rohini. The blaze, reportedly caused by a heap of plastic scrap, broke out on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
The family, who had locked their house from the inside, couldn't find the key in time and were trapped. Police are ascertaining whether the plastic waste was thrown by a nearby factory and are investigating the cause of the fire.
Four hutments were engulfed in flames, but the fire was controlled around 1.30-2am. The bodies of the deceased were retrieved, and a case has been registered. The exact cause of the fire is being ascertained, and police are looking into allegations of foul play.
The family had planned to visit their home in West Bengal in two days to cast their votes in the state elections and attend a family function. Neighbours alleged that the fire could have been started by residents over rivalry, but police are yet to confirm this.
