A week after the Malviya Nagar hotel fire claimed the lives of his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two granddaughters and three relatives, 78-year-old Radheshyam Aggarwal died at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday, bringing to an end a family tragedy that has wiped out three generations of a Gurugram household.
Aggarwal, a resident of Sector 46 in Gurugram, was admitted to Max Hospital for the treatment of a respiratory ailment on May 30. According to hospital sources, his condition continued to deteriorate over the days and he died on Tuesday morning around 11.30 am.
Family members said the Aggarwals had come to Delhi for his treatment. While he remained admitted to the hospital, his wife Hemlata, son Vivek, daughter-in-law Tarjini and two granddaughters Jivisha and Pearl stayed at a hotel in Malviya Nagar so that they could remain close to him.
On the morning of June 3, the illegally operated Flourish Inn Hotel caught fire, killing 22 people, including 13 foreign nationals. Among the dead were five members of the Aggarwal family and three of their relatives.
For days after the fire, Aggarwal remained the family’s sole surviving member. Sources said he was battling serious health complications and was not aware that his wife, son, daughter-in-law, granddaughters and relatives had died in the blaze.
With Aggarwal’s death on Tuesday, all members of the family are now dead.
The fire, meanwhile, continues to be investigated. The Delhi Police have alleged that the hotel was operating in violation of the norms. Investigators found that the premises did not have a fire no-objection certificate and more rooms than what were permitted had been built. Hotel owner Lavkesh Bajaj has been arrested in connection with the case along with the cook and the manager.
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling English daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the newspaper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).
Remembering Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia
Leave a Reply