29 girls were putting up at PG, each paid Rs 10,000 a month

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24

The two PG operators, who were operating the ill-fated PG in Sector 32, were charging close to Rs 3 lakh from the students staying in the PG. Investigations have revealed that 29 girls were staying in the PG and Rs 10,000 was being charged from each PG resident.

Sources said besides the accommodation, the PG residents were provided with three meals a day. Mayank, an associate of accused Nitesh Bansal and Nitesh Popli, revealed that a rent of Rs 1.25 lakh was paid by them to Gaurav Aneja, the owner of the house, every month. “Besides the house rent, the water and electricity bills were paid by the duo,” the associate said. Local residents said the accused were minting big money from the PG business. “Board partitions were used to accommodate more residents to earn huge money,” a resident said. The girls residing in the PG where the fire broke out collected their clothes and other belongings.

A PG resident from Punjab, who arrived at the PG today to take her belongings, said she used to pay Rs 10,000 rent per month. “My room hardly had space for one table and a small almirah,” she said. The PG residents also had to share washrooms. The police said the PG in Sector 32 operated by Bansal and Popli on the second floor of a house presently had six girl residents.

In figures

Total residents who were staying in PG 29

PG rent per head, including food Rs 10,000

Monthly rent paid by operators to owner Rs 1.25 lakh

Water and electricity charges additional