“We have gotten the compensation... but once a person has gone, will they come back?” asked Santosh, husband of Rajnu Devi (33), one of the victims of the tragic fire that broke out at a CCTV manufacturing factory in Delhi’s Mundka on 13 May 2022.
A year since the fire, Santosh (42) and his three children still break down when they see Rajnu Devi’s photo. This sentiment is echoed through the streets of Bhagya Vihar, a village that lost at least four women in their families to the fire that claimed 27 lives.
The Quint revisited the families and spoke to them about how life has changed for them over the last year. They recalled how their lives turned upside down exactly a year ago.
Sabra Khatun (60), who lost her daughter Mushrat (36), recalled the fateful day, “Someone in the neighbourhood said that a fire broke out at a factory. I then realised that my daughter was in the same factory... There was chaos on the streets that day. I came back and told my son to rush to the factory. I could not go because I could not walk that much.”
Tearing up, she said, “My granddaughter looks exactly like her mother. I miss her a lot – she was my biggest support.”
‘She Would Take Care of the House, Children’
Meera Devi, mother of Nisha Kumari (19), spoke about how Nisha’s death left a huge vacuum in their home. She said, “Sometimes when I do not get sleep at night, I think about her. I feel like my daughter never left, I feel like she is still alive.”
Besides taking care of her six siblings, Nisha was the sole breadwinner at home. Her father takes up odd jobs. Meera Devi said, “She saw that her younger siblings were struggling for food. That is why she left school after completing Class 8. She then took up the job at the factory.”
Most of the victims of the fire were women and some were sole breadwinners in their homes. Santosh said, “In the morning, I make food for the children... At night, I come back and cook for them too. It makes a huge difference. I do not have the support.” He works as a daily wage labourer.
Meanwhile, in Mushrat’s family, her eldest daughter has to take up household chores, which is why she is unable to attend school on many days.
Md Imtiaz, Mushrat’s brother said:
"Her eldest daughter makes food and takes care of household chores. Sometimes, she is tired and cannot wake up so she ends up missing school."Md Imtiaz, Mushrat's brother
'Compensation Won't Bring Our Loved Ones Back'
The families said that they have received compensation of Rs 10 lakh as promised by the Delhi government and Rs 2 lakh by the Centre. Many have saved the money and are trying to keep it for the future of the children in their home.
At the same time, some of the men in the families have spent their money on alcohol. A woman, who wanted to stay anonymous, said, “I cannot do anything with the money because my husband has spent half of it on alcohol already...”
Santosh said:
“The compensation is able to support is to some extent. I have invested in a plot for the future but I am saving the remaining amount for my childrens’ education...”Santosh, Rajnu Devi's husband
His children, aged 16, 13, and 10 go to government schools in the neighbourhood.
He said that he has never returned to the factory ever since the incident. “I do not even go on the factory road... If I go there, I remember her more,” Santosh added.
Factory Owners Granted Bail
The Quint revisited the factory building, which has not been repaired or razed to the ground yet. Rubble and shards of glass can still be seen around the building.
The owners of the unit, Harish Goyal, Varun Goyal, and the owner Manish Lakra, were granted bail by the Delhi High Court on the grounds of (the police’s) failure to chargesheet in time, said advocate Devendra Vohra, who is fighting the criminal case on behalf of the victims' families.
According to the Delhi Fire Services, a short circuit had caused the fire. The building did not have a no-objection certificate from the Fire Department.
The city has seen a monumental increase in the number of fires as well as the number of deaths due to fires. As per the Delhi Fire Services’ data, there were 297 deaths in the year 2018-2019. This number kept increasing over the next five years. In the year 2022-2023, there were 1,029 fire-related deaths.
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