Malviya Nagar fire: Kejriwal, Atishi slam Delhi BJP as 21 die in blaze
Synopsis
A Malviya Nagar restaurant blaze has killed at least 21 and injured over two dozen, with victims reportedly jumping from upper floors to escape. Kejriwal and Atishi have turned grief into a pointed political question for the BJP-led Delhi government: who is accountable when fire after fire keeps producing statements but no system fix?
Key Takeaways
At least 21 people were killed and over 26 injured in a fire at Lemon Green Restaurant , Malviya Nagar , on 3 June .
Ten fire tenders were deployed; some occupants reportedly jumped from upper floors to escape.
Arvind Kejriwal called the repeated fire incidents in Delhi ‘extremely concerning’ in a post on X.
Atishi , Leader of the Opposition, questioned the BJP government on the state of Delhi's fire safety system and demanded accountability.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing, with some injured reported to be in critical condition.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Leader of the Opposition Atishi on Wednesday, 3 June expressed grief over the Malviya Nagar fire that killed at least 21 people and injured more than two dozen, while sharply questioning the BJP-led Delhi government over what they called a worsening pattern of fire safety lapses in the national capital.
What happened in Malviya Nagar
A massive blaze tore through the multi-storied Lemon Green Restaurant in Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning, officials said. At least 21 people were killed and 26 were rushed to a nearby hospital, with some reported to be in critical condition. Search and rescue operations were still underway at the site at the time of reporting.
According to officials, some occupants attempted to jump from the upper floors of the building in a bid to escape the flames. Ten fire tenders were dispatched after the alert, and the fire was eventually brought under control, but the damage was extensive.
What Kejriwal and Atishi said
In a post on X, Kejriwal said, ‘I pray to God for the peace of the souls of those who lost their lives in the horrific fire in Malviya Nagar, Delhi.’ He added that ‘the continuous fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people are extremely concerning.’
Atishi, also writing on X, called the incident ‘extremely heartbreaking’ and said, ‘I pray to God that the departed souls find peace and the injured recover swiftly. My condolences are with all those families who have lost their loved ones.’
Opposition targets BJP on accountability
Atishi escalated the political charge, asking, ‘But the question is, who will take responsibility for the repeated fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people? Under the BJP government, why has the fire safety system deteriorated to such a deplorable state?’
‘After every tragedy, there are only statements, but accountability is nowhere to be seen. This negligence at the cost of people's lives is no longer acceptable,’ she added.
Response on the ground
Senior officials from Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services and rescue agencies were present at the scene and monitoring the operation. Rescue teams were attempting to locate others possibly trapped across different floors of the building.
The Malviya Nagar tragedy adds to a string of fire incidents reported across Delhi in recent months, intensifying scrutiny of commercial-building safety audits, exit-route compliance and fire NOC enforcement — issues that have repeatedly surfaced after similar tragedies but rarely translated into structural reform. A formal probe into the cause of the blaze is expected to follow.
Point of View
Body count, condolences, silence. The Kejriwal-Atishi intervention is politically sharp, but the deeper failure is institutional: enforcement of fire NOCs in commercial buildings, especially restaurants and assembly spaces, remains patchy across regimes. Blaming the current BJP dispensation is fair on accountability grounds, but AAP's own decade in power did not deliver a structural overhaul of Delhi Fire Services' audit and prosecution capacity. Unless this incident triggers a citywide enforcement drive with public reporting, Malviya Nagar will join a long list of fires that produced outrage but no reform.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Malviya Nagar fire?
A massive fire broke out at the multi-storied Lemon Green Restaurant in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, on the morning of 3 June, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than two dozen. Ten fire tenders were deployed and search and rescue operations were still underway.
How did Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi react to the incident?
Both leaders expressed condolences on X and raised concerns over repeated fire incidents in Delhi. Atishi directly questioned the BJP-led Delhi government on the state of the city's fire safety system and demanded accountability for the deaths.
How many people were injured in the Malviya Nagar fire?
At least 26 people were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries, and some are reported to be in critical condition. Officials said some occupants tried to jump from the upper floors to escape the flames.
What is the political angle to the Malviya Nagar fire?
AAP leaders Kejriwal and Atishi have used the tragedy to question the BJP government's handling of fire safety in Delhi, alleging that the system has deteriorated and that no one is being held accountable for repeated incidents. The BJP is yet to issue a detailed response.
Is the rescue operation in Malviya Nagar complete?
No, search and rescue operations were still ongoing at the time of reporting. Officials were trying to locate other people possibly trapped on different floors of the building.
