Delhi: 19-year-old boy burnt alive in market fire, investigation underway

According to authorities, a 19-year-old male was burned to death in the Gandhi Nagar market fire incident in New Delhi on Thursday.

Shehnawaj, the victim, worked at the store that burned on Wednesday and has been identified.

Aftab, one of the other employees who had worked at the clothing store for 12 years, claimed that he and 4 to 5 other employees observed smoke coming from the store as they were coming back from the main road.

At roughly 5.37 PM, they had arrived at the store from Janata Gali, a different entrance to the store.

Aftab discovered his own brother Shehnawaj was imprisoned inside as he instantly called the owner. The gang reportedly also heard Shehnawaj rapping on the door. When the employees instructed Shehnawaj to go upstairs, they tried to pick the locks but were unable to find him. The fire department team just discovered the deceased this morning on the second story.

The fire brigade reported on Wednesday night that the blaze that started in a shop in Gandhi Nagar's cloth market had been put out.

"The fire was declared of a medium category. A total of 28 fire tenders are engaged. Fire is now under control and confined to the top floors," said SK Dua, deputy chief fire officer.

At 5:36 pm on Wednesday, Delhi Fire Service received information of a fire that had started in Gandhi Nagar market.

(With inputs from ANI)