A devastating fire in Outer Delhi's Tikri Kalan area claimed the lives of a young couple on Friday night, leaving their two children orphaned and a family shattered. The victims, identified as Vineet (31) and his wife Renu (29), were trapped inside their grocery shop and succumbed to suffocation, police said.
A Desperate Struggle for Survival
The tragedy unfolded around 8 pm on December 6, 2025, in the narrow 'School Wali Gali' near Lekhram Park, Mundka. According to police, a suspected short circuit at the counter outside the shop ignited plastic packets, sparking a blaze on the porch. Inside, the couple attempted to escape.
"In an attempt to escape the flames, they lowered the shutter but became trapped inside, leading to severe suffocation," said DCP (Outer) Sachin Sharma. Preliminary investigations suggest the couple tried to reopen the metal shutter but failed, with smoke quickly filling the confined space. A police team later forced the shutter open using a wooden log and rushed the couple to Oscar Hospital in Bahadurgarh, where they were declared dead on arrival.
A Family's Dreams Reduced to Ashes
The couple had moved to Delhi from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh 11 years ago, soon after their wedding. Vineet worked in a shoe-making factory, while Renu worked as a tailor. Facing mobility issues after breaking her leg multiple times, Renu's movement was restricted, making Vineet the sole breadwinner.
Driven by entrepreneurial spirit, they took a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh last year to rent and run the ground-floor shop in a dilapidated two-storey building. While Vineet continued at the factory, Renu managed the store. The family lived in an adjacent room on the same premises, which they shared with Vineet's mother and three other relatives.
"I came back in the evening around 7:30 pm, and Vineet was sleeping inside the shop. I told Renu I would go upstairs and return in an hour," recounted Alka, Renu's sister, who lives on the floor above. "About 20–25 minutes later, I heard her screams."
Orphaned Children and a Solemn Promise
The couple is survived by their two sons, aged 10 and 7, who were playing outside when the fire broke out. Unaware of the profound loss, the children were seen running around the charred remains of what was once their parents' shop and livelihood.
Amidst the grief, a promise emerged. "I lost a pair of twins during childbirth last year. I don't have any children. Now God has given me this responsibility. I will take care of them," said Alka, through tears, vowing to raise her sister's children.
Vineet's mother, 65-year-old Shyam Pyari, was left mourning her only son. Police are questioning the landlord, and the exact cause of the fire is under investigation. The incident has cast a pall over the tight-knit community in School Wali Gali, highlighting the ever-present dangers in densely populated urban settlements.
