Earlier on Sunday, a PG accommodation in South Delhi collapsed, trapping more than a dozen students under the debris. Seven students lost their lives, while 12 others were rescued. The tragedy has again brought the living conditions of students enrolled in Delhi colleges into focus.
The five-storey structure, which housed students, collapsed while renovation work was reportedly underway. Rescue teams worked for around 27 hours to pull survivors from the debris, with the rescue operation concluding on Monday.
The Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR at South Campus police station under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to culpable homicide and negligence.
The FIR alleged that additional floors had been constructed on the old structure despite concerns over its load-bearing capacity and that construction work was underway when the building collapsed. It further stated that the owners allegedly knew that the decades-old foundation could not withstand the additional load but still proceeded with the construction of four extra floors to earn rental income.
Police subsequently arrested the alleged owner, Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila Gupta and their son Mahesh Gupta in Rajasthan. A Delhi court sent Hariram and Urmila to 14 days’ judicial custody, while Mahesh was remanded in police custody for two days.
Investigators are examining the family’s alleged role in managing the PG and carrying out renovation work at the property. The collapse has also triggered scrutiny of civic oversight, with the MCD’s action against unauthorised PG accommodations in Laxmi Nagar and Vishwas Nagar following the deaths at Satya Niketan.
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