Former bureaucrat and the first chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), Dhanendra Kumar, died after a fire, suspected to have been triggered by a blast in an air-conditioning unit, ripped through his residence in Delhi's Hauz Khas, police said on Thursday (May 28, 2026). His son was injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment.

Mr. Kumar (80), a 1968-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, also represented India at the World Bank as an Executive Director. According to Delhi Fire Services officials, a call regarding the blaze at a house in Hauz Khas Enclave was received at 11.24 p.m. on Wednesday (May 27, 2026), following which two fire tenders, including a water bowser, were rushed to the spot.

The fire, which was brought under control around 12.20 a.m., engulfed domestic articles on the ground floor and wooden windows on the first floor of the ground-plus-two-storey building, officials said. Before fire personnel reached the spot, two injured people had already been shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre by Police Control Room (PCR) staff and members of the public.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said that Mr. Kumar succumbed to smoke inhalation during treatment. The police said Mr. Kumar’s son sustained injuries in the fire and remains under treatment. His condition is stated to be out of danger.

Preliminary inquiry suggested the blaze may have been caused by a blast in the indoor unit of an air-conditioner installed inside the house, officials said. At the time of the incident, five people, including family members and domestic staff, were present inside the residence.

A crime team inspected the spot, while an electrical inspection is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. Statements of eyewitnesses have been recorded, and no foul play is suspected so far, police said.

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Mr. Kumar held several key administrative positions during his career, including Chairman and Managing Director of the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) and Principal Secretary to the Haryana Chief Minister. Apart from his administrative career, Mr. Kumar was known as an author and public policy expert. Further investigation into the matter is underway.