EV showroom owner, manager arrested after fire claims employee’s life

Bengaluru: The owner and the manager of My EV Store in Rajajinagar were arrested on Wednesday after a massive fire claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman worker the previous day.

The victim, Priya, an accounts executive at the showroom and a resident of Okalipuram, was unable to escape the blaze as she was trapped in a cabin. Tragically, the incident occurred just a day before her birthday.

Her body was handed over to her family after a medical examination, and she was laid to rest on Wednesday.

The other employees managed to escape when the showroom caught fire.

The police identified the accused as Puneeth Gowda, 36, the proprietor of the store and a resident of Yeshwantpur, and Yuvaraj, 37, the showroom manager from Rajajinagar. Both were arrested under Section 106 (death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

A senior police official stated, “The accused were presented in a local court and released on conditional bail, as the offence carries a maximum punishment of less than seven years.” 

Forensic experts visited the site on Wednesday to collect evidence and determine the cause of the fire.

A Fire Department source speculated that the blaze might have originated during the connection or disconnection of EV batteries. “This is a preliminary theory,” the source said, adding, “A detailed investigation will confirm the actual cause.” 

Over 20 electric vehicles were destroyed in the accident.

Safety lapses exposed 

People gather outside the EV scooter showroom that was gutted on Rajkumar Road in Rajajinagar on Wednesday.

Preliminary findings by fire and police investigators revealed an alarming lack of safety measures at the facility.

"For a building of this nature, a minimum of two fire extinguishers is mandatory,” a senior fire official noted.

The showroom also lacked essential safety equipment like water sprinklers and smoke detectors. “In such situations, panic often prevents the effective use of extinguishers. Sprinklers, however, could have slowed the fire's spread and saved lives,” the official added.