Five dead in Delhi PG incident, owner absconding, who is responsible?
Police have filed a case against building owner Hariram and others for culpable homicide and negligence in maintenance.
A five-storey building, approximately 50 years old, which was being used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation for students in the Satya Niketan area of South Delhi, collapsed on Sunday afternoon. Five people died in the incident, while around 15 to 20 people are feared to be trapped under the debris. Several agencies continued their rescue operations late into the night.
According to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre, 10 injured individuals were brought to the hospital.
AIIMS stated,
“Four people were brought to the hospital dead, while one other patient, who was admitted in critical condition, later succumbed during treatment. Three patients are currently hospitalized and receiving treatment. One patient underwent surgery on his leg, while another patient with minor injuries was discharged after observation.”
The police have registered a case against the building owner, Hariram, and others at the South Campus police station for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligence in building maintenance, and endangering lives.
According to officials,
“The five-storey building, approximately 50 years old, collapsed on Sunday afternoon in a narrow lane near the South Campus of Delhi University in Satya Niketan. A boys' hostel for students was operating in the building. Many people were trapped under the debris. So far, eight people have been rescued from the rubble. One of them was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, while another died during treatment.”
According to AIIMS, three of the eight injured were brought to the hospital dead, while one was in extremely critical condition. On Sunday night, the critically injured individual also succumbed during treatment, raising the death toll to four.
Local residents claim that around 40 to 50 people may still be trapped under the building's debris. The building had one basement and five floors above it.
A senior official stated,
“Repair work was underway in the basement at the time of the incident. The building collapsed around 1:30 PM. This building was being used as a PG for students. Locals say that due to the rain over the past few days, water had accumulated in the basement. They believe that the water accumulation weakened the foundation of the building, ultimately leading to the collapse of the entire structure.”
Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service, and Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) arrived at the scene. The rescue operation was initiated with the help of fire engines and CATS ambulances. This area is known for its narrow and crowded lanes, where a large number of food outlets and PG accommodations for students are located.
Due to the densely populated buildings and the large number of students present, it has been quite difficult for rescue vehicles to reach the site. According to local residents, most of the students living in this area are from Kerala, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, studying in various colleges of Delhi University located nearby. Local people also came forward to help during the debris removal by searching for those trapped using their hands and available tools.
After receiving news of the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor Tarunjeet Singh Sandhu, Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and MP Bansuri Swaraj arrived at the site. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences over the deaths in the incident. He stated that he has spoken to the Chief Minister, Police Commissioner, and the Director General of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to assess the situation. He wrote on the social media platform X that all necessary medical assistance is being provided to the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.
The Joint Police Commissioner of New Delhi Range, the DCP of the South-West District, and the Additional DCP are overseeing the rescue operation. An official stated that,
“The building was known as 'Hostel Days' and its owner resides in Gurugram. According to the police, the building was approximately 50 years old. The process of filing an FIR has been initiated, and seven to eight police teams have been deployed to locate the building owner.”
The Delhi Police stated, “Currently, the exact number of people trapped or injured in the debris has not been determined. As information is confirmed, further updates will be shared.”
Local resident Rajen Chhetri stated that,
“The building had around 15 rooms, with two to three students living in each room. Most of the students residing here are from Kerala, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. They primarily study at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, and Shri Venkateswara College. Students paid around ₹12,000 rent per bed. I have been living here for the past 20 years. Some construction work was going on in the basement, where water had started to accumulate. The foundation of the building was also extremely weak.”
An eyewitness stated that if this incident had occurred on a working day, the situation could have been much worse, as many students had returned home for the weekend. At that time, very few students were present. Continuous rain has been occurring in Delhi since Friday. Local residents have also expressed concern about the condition and maintenance of other buildings in the area. Many houses have been converted into PG accommodations in this region.
Priyanka, who has been living in the area for the past two decades, stated,
“Buildings are being constructed up to five to six floors here. Many houses have been converted into boys' PG accommodations. The owners themselves move elsewhere. They just label these properties as PG, collect rent online, and do not even come back to check on the situation.”
She further added,
“I have never seen any maintenance work being done here. It was raining, so most students were inside their rooms, while some had gone home for the weekend.”
BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who arrived at the scene, stated, “We are also receiving calls from people who are still trapped inside. The police have urged local residents and those present at the site to stay away from the area. Paramilitary forces have also been deployed to ensure smooth movement of ambulances during the rescue operation.