Delhi student housing collapse during repairs kills 3

Delhi witnessed a tragic incident on Sunday afternoon when a six-storey building housing paying guest accommodation for students collapsed near Delhi University's South Campus. The building, which comprised a basement and five upper floors, came down around 1.30pm during repair work in the basement. At least three people were killed, two in critical condition, and several others were feared trapped, with reports emerging of students calling for help from beneath the rubble.

Nine people had been rescued, and emergency crews, including fire tenders, police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service, and Delhi Disaster Management Authority, were working tirelessly to search for survivors. The rescue operation was described as being on a "war footing" by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and politicians, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, were closely monitoring the situation.

Rescue efforts were hampered by the need to remove concrete slabs and girders from the rubble, while authorities initially estimated that as many as 50 students may have been inside when the building collapsed. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged corruption in municipal building oversight, but there was no official finding linking the collapse to corruption or establishing its cause.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed concern over the shortage of university hostels, highlighting the overcrowded conditions that forced students to live in paying guest accommodations.