Four die, seven injured in massive fire at hotel in Ajmer
Four persons, including a four-year-old child, died and seven others were injured in a massive fire which broke out at a hotel in a congested locality at Ajmer in Rajasthan on Thursday. Some of the people staying at the five-storey hotel jumped from the windows in a bid to save their lives.
The fire broke out at the ground floor of Hotel Naaz in Diggi Bazaar area, near the historic Ajmer Sharif Dargah, reportedly because of a short circuit in an air conditioner unit. While the fire engulfed the entire hotel building in a short time, the cramped lanes created difficulties for firefighters and hampered the rescue operation.
Two men, a woman and a child succumbed to their injuries, while the condition of four of the injured persons was stated to be critical. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Principal Anil Samaria said the patients undergoing treatment had 50% to 90% burn injuries.
The fire could be extinguished after about three hours and the search operation was called off in the afternoon after evacuating all the people from the hotel as well as the nearby shops and buildings. Plumes of thick black smoke emanating from the hotel in the densely populated area could be seen billowing into the sky from a distance.
Two persons jumped in panic from a window onto an adjacent building, while another man grabbed a rope, but fell to the ground. A woman saved the life of her three-year-old son by tossing him from a window to a man standing in the lane.
The hotel is frequented by the pilgrims visiting the 13th century dargah of Sufi mystic Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, elected from Ajmer North constituency, has given instructions to the district administration to ensure proper treatment of those injured and launch an investigation into the mishap.
Governor Haribhau Bagde and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed condolences over the loss of lives and wished for a speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
28-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Three arrested for murder over financial dispute near Hosur; body exhumed in Shoolagiri after 23 days
KRISHNAGIRI: The body of a 23-year-old man, who was murdered for taking his friend's side in a financial dispute near Hosur, was exhumed near Shoolagiri on Tuesday. The arrested suspects were K Sahul Hameed (24) of Ram Nagar, his brother K Saifulla (20) and H Pavan Prakash (23) of Namalpettai in Hosur. Police are in search for two more suspects in the case. According to Hosur town police, on April 28, Sahul Hameed, a daily wager kept Rs 40,000 for his wife's delivery expenses in a room near Ram Nagar, which was shared by his friend I Sufi (24) of Ram Nagar. The amount went missing that day, following which he questioned Sufi and assualted him after a heated argument. Later, Sufi informed the matter to his friend S Arjun (24), a daily wager of Rajaganapthy Nagar in Hosur. On April 30, Arjun met Sahul Hameed, his friend Pavan Prakash and got into an argument with them while supporting Sufi. The duo attacked Arjun, after which Arjun planned to kill the duo. On May 2, Arjun was kidnapped in a car by a five-member gang in Hosur, and brutally assaulted using an iron rod and stabbed in multiple places. He was buried at Chennapalli village near Shoolagiri.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Seduction and secrets': How diplomat Madhuri Gupta fell for Pakistan ISI's honeytrap
More than a decade before Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's arrest for allegedly leaking military secrets to Pakistan, India was shaken by a similar breach from within diplomatic ranks. During her posting in Islamabad in 2010, Madhuri Gupta, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, was arrested for passing classified secrets to Pakistan's ISI, triggering a major espionage case. Amid intense tensions between India and Pakistan in the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Indian intelligence agencies in early 2010 received alarming signals of a possible mole within the High Commission in Islamabad, NDTV reported. The alerts prompted the then Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Rajiv Mathur to initiate a quiet but decisive counter-intelligence operation, one that would soon zero in on an unlikely suspect, Madhuri Gupta. How intelligence agencies uncovered Madhuri Gupta's Double Life At the time, Gupta held the position of second secretary (press and information) and was better known for her command of Urdu, deep appreciation of Sufi poetry, and intellectual pursuits. But the intelligence trail, built through methodical surveillance, began to unravel a far more troubling reality. Rather than move in immediately, intelligence officials opted for patience and precision. Once suspicions around Madhuri Gupta solidified, the Intelligence Bureau coordinated closely with the chiefs of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), KC Verma, and Home Secretary GK Pillai. It was agreed that surveillance would continue for another fortnight, the report added. During this period, Gupta was subtly fed false information, details designed to track any leaks. When that fabricated intelligence resurfaced through suspected ISI channels, investigators had the confirmation they needed: Gupta was relaying sensitive material to a foreign adversary. Still unaware that a net was closing in around her, Gupta was summoned to Delhi on the pretext of assisting with media preparations for the upcoming SAARC Summit. She reached the capital on 21 April 2010 and reported to the ministry of external affairs the next morning. When Madhuri Gupta arrived at the ministry of external affairs in South Block, Delhi Police' special cell, already informed, quickly moved in. She was arrested within minutes for leaking classified defence information to Pakistan's ISI. Gupta was arrested on 22 April 2010 under the Official Secrets Act. Investigators said she had revealed the identities of Indian intelligence officials posted in Pakistan. Madhuri Gupta's downfall came through a carefully planned honeytrap. Investigators found that a much younger Pakistani agent was sent to seduce her, gaining her trust and extracting sensitive information, which ultimately led to her betrayal. The agent, Jamshed also known as Jim was in his 30s, half her age, tasked with seducing Gupta and extracting sensitive information. The operation was overseen by Mudassar Raza Rana, who knew Pakistan's then interior minister personally. They reached out to Gupta through a female journalist and built her trust by helping her track down a rare book by Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Gupta maintained regular contact with both men using a computer at her Islamabad home and a Blackberry phone. Investigations showed she had become infatuated with Jamshed, expressing wishes to convert to Islam, marry him, and move to Istanbul. Her messages frequently touched on themes of Sufism, Rumi, and Urdu, passions that Jamshed deliberately took advantage of. After being found guilty of spying for Pakistan in 2018, she lived in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, awaiting the verdict of her appeal. She passed away in October 2021 at the age of 64, with her appeal still pending before the Delhi High Court, the report added.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Time of India
3 of a Guj family among 4killed in fire at Ajmer hotel
Ajmer: A devastating fire broke out at a five-storey hotel in Ajmer's congested Diggi Bazaar area on Thursday morning, claiming four lives and leaving six others, including a firefighter, injured. The deceased include three members of a family from Gujarat, who had come to offer prayers at Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's dargah in Ajmer. The tragedy happened less than 48 hours after 14 people lost their lives in a Kolkata hotel blaze on Tuesday night. The fire started around 8am due to a suspected short circuit in an air conditioner on the fourth floor of Hotel Naaz, located along the route to the dargah, and quickly engulfed the whole building. The victims were trapped on the fifth floor. In a heroic rescue effort, civil defence personnel instructed a mother to throw her three-year-old son from the fourth floor, successfully catching him mid-air. The mother and child both survived. A youth who jumped from the building was also rescued by the team. Firefighters reached the spot within 20 minutes, but it took nearly three hours to control the blaze. "The narrow streets posed a significant challenge to the rescue operation," said additional district magistrate Gajendra Singh Rathore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sleek Intel Laptops Perfect for College Life Smart Picks by Lenovo Learn More Undo The district administration evacuated nearby establishments as a precautionary measure. The deceased were identified as Mohammad Jaid (40) from Moti Nagar in Delhi, and Alfez Mohammad (40), his wife Shabnam (32) and their four-year-old son Arman from Amreli in Gujarat. Firefighter Krishna Kumar and the five other injured are undergoing treatment at state govt-run JLN Hospital. JLN Medical College principal Dr Anil Samariya said one of the injured had sustained 90% burns, while the others had 50-60% burns. One of the guests, Manilal from Delhi, said he was checking out when there was a loud blast. He and his wife ran towards the exit to save themselves. District collector Lok Bandhu has ordered an investigation into the incident. The probe will look into all aspects, including whether the hotel, which has 11 rooms and can accommodate 22 guests, was constructed according to norms and was adhering to safety regulations.
