NEW DELHI: In one of the most tragic stories to emerge from the deadly Hauz Rani B&B fire, a 76-year-old man battling a severe lung infection in a Delhi hospital died without ever learning that eight members of his family had perished in the blaze.
Radheshyam Aggarwal passed away on Tuesday while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Saket. For days, relatives concealed the devastating news of the fire from him, fearing that the shock could worsen his already critical condition.
“The most heartbreaking part is that he passed away without knowing that every member of his immediate family had died in the fire,” a relative said.
Among those killed were his wife, Premlata Aggarwal, 70; his son, Vivek Aggarwal, 47; daughter-in-law, Tarjani Aggarwal, 42; and granddaughters, Jivisha Aggarwal, 20, and Varya Aggarwal, 16. Three relatives of his wife who had travelled from Kishangarh in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district — Kamla, Ashok and Jhaveri — were also among the victims.
The family had been staying at the Hauz Rani bed-and-breakfast accommodation to remain close to Aggarwal while he received treatment. Relatives said doctors had informed them that his condition was deteriorating, prompting family members to temporarily relocate from their Gurgaon residence to stay near the hospital.
In a cruel twist of fate, Jivisha had reportedly flown from Bengaluru just hours before the fire so she could spend time near her ailing grandfather.
As Aggarwal’s condition worsened in hospital, he repeatedly asked about his family members, especially his son.
“He kept asking for Vivek. We told him his son had gone to Jaipur and would visit him soon. Every day we came up with a different explanation,” a relative recalled.
Family members said it became increasingly difficult to reassure him as days passed without visits from his wife, son, daughter-in-law or granddaughters. They believed he had begun sensing that something was wrong.
“We could never bring ourselves to tell him the truth. Had he known, it would have shattered him and he might have lost the will to fight for his life,” another relative said. “Maybe if he had seen his son, he could have held on a little longer.”
Aggarwal reportedly lost consciousness on Monday before passing away the following morning. His death means that no immediate member of the family survived the tragedy.
The fire at the Hauz Rani B&B claimed 22 lives and left dozens injured, making it one of the deadliest fire incidents in the capital in recent years. Authorities said 37 people were injured in the blaze, with one of the injured later succumbing to injuries.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the incident continues. Police on Tuesday questioned Jay Mishra, an accountant employed by the establishment’s owner, regarding the operation and management of the property. Investigators are expected to compare his statements with those of the owner, Lovkesh Bajaj, and the establishment’s chef, both of whom have already been arrested.
In an update on the condition of survivors, a spokesperson for Max Hospital, Saket, said that 13 patients remained admitted following the fire. Of these, six were receiving treatment in the intensive care unit and three were in hospital wards, while four international patients were scheduled for discharge. Hospital authorities stated that all admitted patients were clinically stable.
As investigations continue, the story of the Aggarwal family has become a poignant reminder of the human cost of the disaster—a family that gathered in Delhi to support an elderly loved one, only to be separated forever by tragedy.
