The owner of the private children's hospital in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar, where seven newborn children were charred to death, Dr Naveen Khichi and a doctor on duty Dr Aakash were arrested on Sunday. According to the police, there were severe lapses on the side of the hospital owners which possibly caused more casualties.

The police found out that the licence issued to them by the Government had already expired on March 31 this year and even the expired licence gave allowance for five beds only. Instead, at the time of the incident, 12 newborn were admitted to the hospital. “The doctors are not qualified or competent to treat the newborn child in need of neo-natal intensive care, as they are BAMS degree holders only. There is no fire extinguisher installed in the said hospital for emergency conditions in case of eruption of fire. There is no emergency exit in the Hospital in case of any untoward incident,” DCP Shahdara Surendra Choudhary said, highling the severe lapses they found out during their investigation.

Additionally, the District Magistrate of Shahdara Rishita Gupta has submitted a factual report to the divisional commissioner regarding the incident. In the report it was revealed that out of the seven dead new born babies, four were male and three female. Barring one 25 days old boy, the rest were of 15 days. A detailed report in the matter is awaited.

The Delhi Government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire tragedy. In an order issued on Sunday, Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar directed the district magistrate of the Shahdara district to inquire into the fire tragedy that occurred on Saturday night. "And whereas it is essential to cause a magisterial inquiry into the aforesaid incident. Now therefore, District Magistrate (Shahadra)/Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority is hereby directed to inquire into the said fire tragedy so as: To ascertain the circumstances that led to the fire tragedy.

"To fix the responsibility on the persons responsible for the said incident. To suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future," it said. The order directed that the inquiry report be submitted "as expeditiously as possible".