Boys' PG collapses in Delhi’s Satya Niketan; 3 dead, 6 rescued; several feared trapped

A multi-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, leaving one person dead, at least three critically injured and several others, including students, feared trapped under the rubble.

A five-storey building housing a student paying guest accommodation collapsed in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon, killing at least three people and leaving two others critically injured. Several people, most of them students, are feared trapped beneath the debris as a multi-agency rescue operation continues. The incident occurred near Delhi University’s South Campus in the national capital.

So far, six students have been rescued. Witnesses at the scene estimated that around 40 to 50 people may be trapped under the rubble, although the figure has not yet been officially confirmed. Delhi Police said in a statement that the exact number of people trapped or injured was not known at present and that further details would be shared once confirmed.

Basement work underway before building collapse 

Police sources said construction work was underway in the basement when the building collapsed at around 1:30 pm. According to a Delhi Police statement, the South Campus police station received a PCR call at 1:34 pm reporting the collapse of a building near Nanakpura Gurdwara.

Police said the building’s owner has been identified and teams have been formed to trace him. Delhi Police has also registered an FIR against the owner, Anand Bansal, a resident of Gurugram.

Located near Delhi University’s South Campus, Satya Niketan has several buildings operating as student paying guest accommodations, hostels and eateries. The Delhi-NCR region has been witnessing heavy rainfall since Friday.

According to officials, the collapsed building was known as “Hostel Daze”. The structure reportedly housed around 15 rooms, with two to three students staying in each room. A medical shop was also operating on the ground floor.

What happened?

The Delhi Fire Services received information about the building collapse at around 1:30 pm, following which a rescue operation was launched. A PCR call was received by the South Campus police station at around 1:34 pm, reporting the collapse of a building near Nanakpura Gurdwara.

Eight fire tenders have been deployed at the site. Local police personnel, the fire brigade, CAT ambulance and other emergency services are engaged in rescue and relief operations.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also reached the site to assist with the rescue operation.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta expresses concern

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed concern over the building collapse in Satya Niketan and said that the adjoining building was evacuated as a precautionary measure.

"Deeply concerned by the building collapse incident at Satya Niketan, RK Puram. Teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence are carrying out rescue operations on a war footing. The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure. Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped and provide immediate assistance to the affected families," the CM said in a post on X.

"The situation is being closely monitored, and all concerned agencies are working in coordination. The safety and well-being of every citizen remain our highest priority," she added.

Two died in 2022 building collapse

The incident comes four years after a similar building collapse in Satya Niketan in April 2022, in which two labourers were killed and four others injured when an under-construction four-storey building collapsed.

Six workers were rescued from the debris during a rescue operation that continued for more than three hours and involved the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the fire department and Delhi Police.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation had then stated that the building had been flagged a month before the collapse over alleged illegal structural alterations. It had also informed the police and district administration about the issue.

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