Preliminary inquiry suggested they all died of suffocation due to the brazier kept inside the room amid severe cold conditions as the small room had no ventilation, police said.
New Delhi: A 30-year-old woman and her four children died allegedly after inhaling toxic smoke emanating from an ‘angithi’ (brazier) kept in their room in Delhi’s Shahdara on Wednesday, police said. Police received a PCR call around 1.30 pm regarding four to five people lying unconscious in a room on the fifth floor of a house in Old Seemapuri
Upon reaching there, the woman and three of her kids were found dead while the fourth and the youngest one was rushed to a hospital but declared dead by doctors, a senior police officer said.
During inquiry, it was found that one Mohit Kalia (35) along with his wife Radha and four children — two daughters and two sons — lived in the rented accommodation, he said.
The children have been identified as Komal (11), Jitin (8) Raushani (4) and Arav (3).
The flat belongs to Amarpal Singh (60), a resident of Shalimar Garden, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) R Sathiyasundaram said.
Preliminary inquiry suggested they all died of suffocation due to the brazier kept inside the room amid severe cold conditions as the small room had no ventilation, police said.
However, the actual cause of death can be known only after post-mortem, they added.
Police said the investigation is being carried out from all angles and Mohit is in their custody.
The elder brother of Radha alleged foul play in the incident.
“I was driving car when received a call around 1 pm. When I reached home, I saw my family members were crying and informed me that my sister and her four kids died this morning while they were sleeping. We immediately reached her residence.
“Mohit said that he was sleeping inside the room with his wife and kids. He woke up around 11 am and saw that they were sleeping and there was no movement. He tried to wake them up, but nothing happened and later he took his younger son to hospital,” Radha’s brother Bantu Kumar said outside the emergency ward of GTB Hospital.
How is it possible that the five members died and he is fine without any injury despite sharing the same room, Kumar said.
“We suspect that Mohit has done something as he escaped unhurt in the incident. We do not trust his theory. He is alcoholic and used to often fight with my sister over trivial issues. We want justice for my sister and her children. The unbiased investigation should be done and the accused must be punished,” he said.
Kumar also said a the couple had quarrelled around 10 to 12 days ago.
“Radha and Mohit got married around 12 years ago. Initially, their relation was very good, but after three years, he started fighting with my sister. Around 12 days ago, they had a quarrel and my sister came to my home at Tahirpur. After four-five days, he came along with his brother-in-law to take back Radha home. I refused it, but his brother-in-law insisted and they went back to their home,” Kumar said.
Mohit along with his family had shifted in the room around two-three days ago. Earlier, he was living in the same locality.
Amarpal Singh, the landlord, said, “I came here around 11 am to collect the advance rent and identity proof for the paper work. I knocked the door for around 20 minutes, but nobody opened it, following which I went back to my home. When I reached there, I received a call from police regarding the incident and was immediately called at the spot.”
Mohit works as a helper in private buses at Anand Vihar. Radha used to work as maid in nearby localities, Kumar said, adding she was a very gentle woman.
