New Delhi [India], September 6 (ANI): The death toll has risen to five in the Satya Niketan building collapse incident, while Delhi Police has registered an FIR against alleged owner Hariram and others in connection with the incident. Ten people have been rescued so far, police said.
Delhi Police said, "An FIR has been registered under BNS at PS South Campud against the alleged owner Hariram and others. The building was a PG. It is alleged that renovation work was being undertaken on the Ground Floor, which led to the collapse of the building. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the alleged persons."
Rescue operations are continuing at the site, with teams of Delhi Police, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), Delhi Fire Service and other agencies engaged in search and rescue efforts.
Rescue operations are underway at the site of the building collapse by teams of Delhi Police, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), Delhi Fire Service, and other agencies.
According to the statement issued by AIIMS, "JPN Apex Trauma Centre (AIIMS) received 10 patients who sustained injuries in a building collapse at Satya Niketan, South-West Delhi. Out of the 10 patients, 4 were brought dead, while 1 patient who was in critical condition later succumbed to his injuries. Three patients have been admitted and are being treated. One patient underwent surgery of limb. One patient had sustained minor injury and was discharged after observation."
Following the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site of the building collapse.
Gupta later visited the AIIMS Trauma Centre to check on those injured in the collapse. She met doctors and sought an update on the condition and treatment of the injured students and other victims.
"The building was old, and some construction and renovation work was underway. Some kind of excavation was being carried out in the basement, due to which a pillar shifted and the entire building collapsed," Gupta added.
The Chief Minister said the building was being used as a paying guest accommodation and that children were inside when it collapsed.
"The building was being used as a PG (Paying Guest), and children were inside. All agencies are continuously working. Our priority is to save the lives of these children first. The rescue operation will continue in the same manner. All officials are present here, and there will be no shortage of any kind. However, the guilty will not be spared," Gupta added.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the incident and posted on X, "I am deeply saddened by the accident of a building collapse in Delhi. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives, terming the incident as "distressing."
"The collapse of a building at Satya Niketan, Delhi is distressing. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones," the Prime Minister's office said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed distress over the building collapse and assured medical aid for the injured.
Shah said on X, "Deeply distressed by the collapse of a building at Satya Niketan in Delhi. Spoke with the Chief Minister, Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and the Director General, NDRF, and assessed the situation on the ground. The local administration and the NDRF are conducting intensive rescue operations in close coordination. The injured are being provided with all necessary medical assistance. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also flagged the lack of good hostel facilities after the incident. He termed the news extremely "heartbreaking and alarming".
"Students' lives were already filled with struggles-now the situation has turned life-threatening. Due to the lack of good hostels in colleges or universities, students are forced to live in PG accommodations, 40-40 at a time under one roof, in inhumane conditions," the Congress MP said on X
Meanwhile, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members on Sunday were detained by Delhi police for demanding the resignation of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar following the tragic PG building collapse in Satya Niketan.
The ABVP staged a massive protest outside the MCD headquarters located at the civic centre over student safety.
ABVP activists registered their strong protest against MCD's negligence and apathy regarding safety compliance in Paying Guest (PG) accommodations across student-dominated areas. During the demonstration, protesters entered the MCD building premises and staged a dharna, demanding immediate and concrete administrative action.
Speaking on the incident, ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said, "The Satya Niketan incident in Delhi is deeply tragic and alarming. There must be an impartial probe into this collapse, strict action against those responsible, and immediate justice for the affected students. Accountability must be fixed for officials who failed to ensure student safety, and the MCD Commissioner should resign immediately. I also appeal to the 1.4 billion citizens of the country to pray for the victims."
Another ABVP member said, "The protest ABVP is holding today is in response to an incident that has shaken the entire student community of Delhi University. It has deeply disturbed students because those who came to Delhi University to build their futures have had their lives put at risk due to the negligence of incompetent officials and PG owners; the entire student body is affected by this."
According to the police, the Delhi Fire Department received an alert regarding the incident at around 1:30 PM. Following the information, emergency personnel and rescue teams were mobilised to the location to assess the situation. A rescue operation is currently underway at the site. (ANI)
Delhi: Death toll rises to five in Satya Niketan building collapse
