NEW DELHI: The head custodian of the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia died after reportedly suffocating in a fire that broke out at his residence on Saturday evening. His wife, who was pulled out of the house in an unconscious condition, is fine now.An electric geyser explosion is said to have triggered the blaze. On Sunday afternoon, followers from across the country and abroad gathered at the burial site at Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, where 50-year-old Syed Mohammad Nizami, also known as Khwaja Syed Mohammad Nizami, was laid to rest.According to police, the blaze was reported at around 5 pm. Five fire tenders with around 25 personnel were rushed to the spot, Delhi Fire Services said. Two ambulances and three PCR vans were scrambled. The house was locked from the inside, forcing firefighters to cut the iron gate and break open the main door. By then, the blaze had spread across the entire single-storey house, which was pitch black, the firefighters said. While the rest of the family members were evacuated through the back door, Nizami and his wife, Fida (45), were found unconscious, having inhaled smoke, police said. Fida was rescued before a bathroom door was broken open and Nizami was found inside. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead. The fire was completely extinguished by around 6.30 pm. Legal action will be taken based on inquest proceedings, police said.Nizami had returned home around 3 pm after attending a qawwali before the fire broke out. His 13-year-old daughter, Mahmooda, was at a tuition class at that time, while his 11-year-old son, Hasan, was playing downstairs. Nizami’s mother, Gulerana, was asleep.Nizami was the only brother among four siblings. “He wanted to carry the family’s legacy of music and literature forward,” his elder sister, Ghazala, said, adding that their grandfather, Khwaja Hasan Nizami, a Sufi saint and Urdu essayist, wrote extensively on the Indian freedom struggle.TOI found Fida on Sunday sitting in a room with other women of the family and her 18-year-old son, Shafi, crying inconsolably.The family had its first brush with misfortune six years ago when Nizami lost his eldest daughter in a road accident, locals said. After his father’s death, when Nizami was around 18, he was guided towards spirituality by his uncle, Khwaja Hasan Sani Nizami. He had held the post of the head custodian of the dargah since 2015. Known for his commitment to Sufism and love for Hindustani classical music, Nizami was widely respected by followers and disciples from around the world.Musicians at the dargah said that Nizami was a chartered accountant. A fruit vendor, Riyazuddin (37), recalled how Nizami used to often financially help locals in times of need. “He never wanted the money back. His family has always been kind to us,” Riyazuddin said.
