A nearly 30‑year‑old five‑storey building in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed on Sunday afternoon, killing five students and leaving 15‑20 more trapped under the debris. Rescue operations continued into the night, with a multi‑agency effort underway to recover the injured.
Ten people were taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre. Four were declared dead on arrival, and a fifth later died in critical condition. Three patients were admitted for treatment, one underwent limb surgery, and a fourth with a minor injury was discharged after observation.
Police booked the building owner, Hariram, and others on charges of culpable homicide, negligence in upkeep and endangering safety. The collapse is linked to renovation work on the ground floor. The structure, originally a G+1 unit, had been illegally expanded to G+4, and water accumulation in the basement may have weakened its foundation. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi evacuated tenants from a nearby women’s PG and sealed the building.
Two National Disaster Response Force teams and a canine squad were deployed, with oxygen cylinders dropped under the rubble. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Fire Services, Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence coordinated the rescue. Union Home Minister Amit Shah briefed the Delhi chief minister and NDRF director general on the situation, while residents voiced concerns over the condition of other buildings converted into PG accommodations in the congested area.
