Dozens feared trapped in collapsed building in Delhi

A residential building in Delhi's Satya Niketan neighborhood collapsed on Sunday, leaving dozens of students feared trapped inside. Eyewitnesses reported that up to 50 people were inside when the five-storey structure came down around 1:30 PM local time (8:00 AM GMT). At least three people were killed, while three others remain in critical condition, according to news agency PTI, quoting local police.

So far, eight individuals have been rescued from the wreckage. The hostel, known as Hostel Daze, was situated near the Delhi University campus and had ongoing construction work in its basement at the time of the collapse. Many students were believed to be in their rooms, as there were no classes scheduled for Sunday. A legislative assembly member reported that some trapped students had been attempting to call out from beneath the rubble.

Eyewitnesses also mentioned that another building adjacent to the hostel had collapsed, with one person claiming it was also a hostel. The Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, ordered the evacuation of the adjacent building as a precaution. Authorities are making every effort to rescue those still trapped. The collapsed building was only about 40 or 50 years old, according to the Delhi Police.

The hostel's owner revealed that it had been under a 100-year lease, and the leaseholder had conducted excavation work in the basement to expand the hostel and boost their income. However, the owner noted that the construction workers, along with the pillars below, had also been buried. The National Students Union of India called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse and vowed to hold anyone found responsible accountable.

Police are actively searching for the building's owner. Satya Niketan, a densely populated area housing a significant number of students, has seen numerous building collapses in recent years. Over a thousand such incidents have been recorded in the past three years, resulting in dozens of deaths, primarily due to poor foundations, inadequate materials, and unqualified construction workers.

In April, eleven people, including three children, lost their lives when a residential building collapsed in northeastern Delhi.