5 dead after building collapses in Delhi

An around 50-year-old five-storey building housing a boys’ hostel in a congested bylane in Satya Niketan near Delhi University’s South Campus collapsed on Sunday afternoon, leaving five dead, 11 injured and many trapped. According to police, 11 students have been rescued so far.

The building, called ‘Hostel Daze’ and located near Nanak Pura Gurdwara and Delhi University’s South Campus, collapsed around 1:30 pm. Rescue teams from several agencies have been working through the evening to find survivors. The building, estimated to be 40 to 50 years old, had a basement and five upper floors. It contained about 15 rooms, each shared by two or three students.

Many of the residents were young men from Kerala, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh who studied at nearby colleges like Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, and Sri Venkateswara College. Rent was reportedly around Rs 12,000 per bed. There was a medical shop on the ground floor.

Locals claimed that around 40 to 50 people were still trapped under the debris of the building, which comprised a basement and five upper floors.

Repair work was underway in the basement of the structure, which was used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation, when it collapsed at around 1.30 pm, a senior officer said. Locals claimed that the collection of water over days of rain in the basement had weakened the building’s foundation, leading to its eventual collapse. Locals claimed that the collection of water over days of rain in the basement had weakened the building’s foundation, leading to its eventual collapse.

Locals mentioned water collecting in the basement, a weak foundation, and insufficient support for the upper floors after recent renovations that added more rental space.

Eyewitnesses said the collapse felt like a sudden tremor or earthquake. After a loud rumble, a cloud of dust and debris filled the area as the building fell. Some students were sleeping on the upper floors at the time. People heard cries of “save us, save us” from under the rubble, and several trapped students called friends and family for help.

One student, Aditya Kumar, shared a short video from beneath the debris showing his dust-covered face and the wreckage around him. Locals started pulling away concrete slabs by hand before rescue teams arrived. In a strong show of community support, residents used a quick-commerce app to order oxygen cylinders and supplied air through gaps in the debris.

By evening, reports confirmed three deaths and three people admitted in critical condition at AIIMS Trauma Centre. Eleven people had been rescued and taken to the hospital. Officials estimated that 30 to 50 students might still be trapped, but the exact number was not confirmed as authorities checked occupancy records.

As a precaution, an adjacent building that seemed to be leaning was evacuated. Narrow, crowded lanes in the student neighbourhood delayed the arrival of some heavy equipment.

Delhi Police got a PCR call at South Campus station at 1:34 pm. Teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Civil Defence arrived at the site with fire trucks, ambulances, sniffer dogs, and machinery. The Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range) and senior officers from the South-West district supervised the rescue operations. Police have registered a case and booked the building owner, Anand Bansal, who lives in Gurugram and runs several PG properties in the area. Bansal is said to be absconding.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor Taranjeet Singh Sandhu, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, Delhi Ministers Kapil Mishra, Ashish Sood and MP Bansuri Swaraj rushed to the spot after the incident. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in Goa to inaugurate the BJP’s new state headquarters at Chimbel near Panaji. He cut short the event after hearing about the collapse. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his grief at the deaths. He said he spoke to the chief minister, the police commissioner, and the NDMA director general for an assessment of the situation on the ground. “The injured are being given all necessary medical assistance. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” he wrote on X. Shah spoke with the Delhi Chief Minister, the Delhi Police Commissioner, and the NDRF Director General. He said he was deeply distressed and that intensive rescue operations were underway, with medical help being given to the injured.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and said that rescue work was happening urgently, with every effort being made to save those trapped and help affected families. The chief minister said that, after being taken to hospital, three students have died so far, and 11 have been rescued; rescue operations are going on. She asserted that stringent action will be taken against those responsible. She later visited AIIMS and spoke to students.

Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu called for coordinated action. Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood expressed concern and confirmed that relief measures were in place. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also announced that the formal function would be shortened.

This incident has once again brought attention to ongoing concerns about old buildings being turned into student hostels in unauthorised or poorly regulated areas. It also highlights issues with illegal or poorly supervised structural changes and the pressure on civic enforcement in crowded university neighbourhoods.

An investigation into the exact cause and any lapses in building permissions or inspections is expected. As night fell, rescuers kept searching the rubble, working quickly to reach anyone who might still be alive under the collapsed floors.

President, PM expresses grief

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said she is deeply saddened due to loss of lives in a building collapse here and expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief over the loss of life in the building collapse incident in the national Capital and said authorities are at the site to assist the affected people.

“The collapse of a building at Satya Niketan, Delhi is distressing. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Authorities are working at the site and assisting those affected in the mishap,” Modi said in a post on ‘X’.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin, and Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday spoke to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and took stock of the situation following the collapse of a five-storey building in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which left five students dead and several others injured.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor Taranjeet Singh Sandhu, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and MP Bansuri Swaraj rushed to the spot after the incident.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his grief at the deaths. He said he spoke to the chief minister, the police commissioner, and the NDMA director general for an assessment of the situation on the ground. “The injured are being given all necessary medical assistance. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured,” he wrote on X.

Reacting to the incident, Nabin said in a post on X, “The tragic building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan is deeply concerning. Spoke with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta to assess the situation.” Nabin said relief and rescue operations are underway “on a war footing,” and all possible efforts are being made to provide immediate medical assistance to the injured. “Praying for the safety and well-being of all those affected in this difficult hour,” the BJP national president added.