Delhi building collapse: A 10-second video, a scramble to save stranger — ‘He’s alive, get him out’

At least seven individuals responded to the site of the building collapse in South Delhi on Sunday evening, spurred by a 10-second video shot by a student trapped inside. Adi Nain, an NSUI leader from a university in Sonipat, was among the first to arrive. Nain shared that he received the video at 4:50 PM from a former DUSU office-bearer who urged him to rush to the scene.

Despite not knowing the victim's name, Nain and his friend forwarded the video to others, who also arrived at the location. The victim, a second-year B.Com student from Delhi University's South Campus, was later identified as Aditya from Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. Aditya was successfully rescued and admitted to the hospital in stable condition.

The video had been initially sent by Abhi Dhaiya, a former DUSU vice-president, who received it from his brother, Dishant, after a friend messaged him seeking assistance. Initially, the rescue efforts were hampered as the exact location of the trapped student was unclear. However, once the video circulated widely, numerous colleges and student union WhatsApp groups were inundated with messages from concerned students and their families.

Many residents of nearby PGs also joined the search, collecting items like a red suitcase, water bucket, and chairs from the debris.