New Delhi: The death toll in the collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area rose to six on Monday, September 7, as rescue operations continued for a second day. Eleven people have so far been rescued from the debris, Delhi Police said.
The latest fatality was a person rescued during overnight operations who was subsequently declared dead. Multiple agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), have been engaged in the search and rescue operation.
The collapsed structure, located in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan, housed a boys’ paying guest (PG) accommodation named Hostel Daze. Locals said the building, comprising a basement and five additional floors, was around five decades old.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site on Monday to review the ongoing rescue operation. She had also visited the location on Sunday following the collapse. The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident to determine the circumstances that led to the structural failure and fix responsibility.
The Chief Minister also met injured victims at AIIMS and assured that strict action would be taken against those found responsible. The Delhi government said it was in contact with the families of the injured and providing necessary assistance.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against building owner Hariram Bansal and others under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said efforts were underway to trace other persons allegedly connected with the incident.
The collapse has also triggered scrutiny of the safety of PG accommodations in Satya Niketan, a prominent student hub near Delhi University’s South Campus. Several colleges in the vicinity have limited hostel facilities, forcing a large number of outstation students to depend on private PG accommodations.
Of the seven colleges around South Campus, Shri Venkateswara College, Jesus and Mary College, Maitri College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Ram Lal Anand College, Motilal Nehru College and Aryabhatta College, only two have hostel facilities. Shri Venkateswara College has around 175 hostel seats, while Maitri College has only 27, according to the information provided.
The shortage of institutional accommodation has contributed to the proliferation of small apartments converted into PG facilities across the neighbourhood. Concerns have been raised over whether all such properties comply with civic and safety regulations.
Following the collapse, civic authorities launched an enforcement drive in the area and removed PG signboards from several properties.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked political protests and demands for accountability. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the Municipal Corporation of Delhi headquarters, demanding the resignation of the MCD Commissioner over the incident. Police detained at least 15 protesters after some demonstrators allegedly broke through the gates of the Civic Centre.
Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the ABVP’s demand, arguing that the organisation should instead seek the resignation of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The tragedy has intensified concerns over ageing buildings, inadequate housing options and safety compliance in Delhi’s student-dominated neighbourhoods. With rescue operations and investigations continuing, authorities are now under pressure to establish accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.
