Six killed in Satya Niketan building collapse; FIR ordered against owner

Six people died in a building collapse in Satya Niketan, Delhi, near Delhi University's South Campus. Rescue operations by NDRF, fire service, and police continued as debris was cleared. The Delhi government ordered a magisterial inquiry and FIR against the building owner. Officials cited unauthorised construction and substandard safety norms. Political figures blamed each other, with demands for justice and accountability.

NEW DELHI: The death toll in the Satya Niketan building collapse in Delhi rose to six as search and rescue operations continued at the site, with teams clearing heavy debris and looking for any remaining trapped persons. Hours after the building collapse in a student-dominated area near Delhi University’s South Campus, the MCD has ordered action against illegal buildings with four or more storeys. One more body was recovered during late-night operations, taking the total number of fatalities to six. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police and other agencies continued rescue operations at the site as they worked to remove the debris. The collapse that took place on Sunday afternoon, has raised fresh questions over the safety of buildings being used as paying guest (PG) accommodations and the enforcement of construction and fire safety norms in densely populated parts of the national capital. The Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and directed that an FIR be registered against the building owner, the chief minister’s office (CMO) said. The decision was taken following an on-site review and a preliminary assessment of the incident, the CMO said. “Following an on-site review and based on the preliminary assessment, the chief minister has ordered a Magisterial Inquiry of the incident and an FIR against the building owner,” the CMO said. It added that those found responsible for the incident would be held fully accountable and face the strictest provisions of the law. Meanwhile, Congress leader and AICC Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja questioned the BJP government over the safety of students living in such accommodations. She said students are sent to Delhi with hopes of building their future and questioned who would be held responsible for their safety. “What is the BJP government doing? They have forgotten what happened at the coaching centre. A mafia is operating in Delhi. These children are sent away with so many hopes. They are the only support for their parents. Who is responsible for their safety?” Selja said. Former Delhi chief secretary Omesh Saigal said the incident should not be viewed as an isolated case, claiming that similar incidents occur every few months. He also raised concerns over unauthorised construction in parts of Delhi. Saigal alleged that some buildings either have unapproved blueprints, additional floors added later or substandard construction, and questioned whether authorities responsible for approving building plans had adequately checked their safety. "Look at the kind of buildings constructed in Delhi - I would say that in some areas, one in five buildings is unauthorised; either the blueprints weren't approved, extra floors were added, or the construction is substandard," he said. He also called for restrictions on new construction in areas that are already overcrowded and over-built, saying authorities should consider stopping the sanctioning of new building plans in such areas and examine the safety of existing structures. "At the very least, we should ban new construction in these areas. We must halt new construction—or stop sanctioning building plans—for areas that are already over-congested and over-built. These are the things that need to be addressed," he added. NSUI President Vinod Jakhar described the situation as extremely grave and said rescue operations were continuing under difficult conditions. "Rescue operations are ongoing, and conditions are dire. Almost all the students being pulled out are dead. We tried our best to get those students out; we actually succeeded in rescuing about three of them. Had the medical facilities, medical teams, police, and fire brigade arrived on time—had all necessary resources and responsible officials been present promptly—perhaps more students could have been saved. But the BJP has no disaster management plan. Just look at how the country's Home Minister inaugurates a grand BJP office in Goa today, while here, a building collapses. BJP offices never collapse because they are built using money extorted from PG and coaching centre operators. Our only demand is justice for the students. Several of our colleagues have also sustained serious injuries. There is absolutely no accountability," Jakhar told news agency ANI. Meanwhile, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president Rajat Choudhary said the situation remained serious and appealed for speedy rescue efforts. He said ambulances and doctors were present in large numbers and urged both the Delhi and Central governments to ensure that those trapped were rescued quickly. Choudhary also appealed to political parties to avoid politicising the tragedy and instead extend support to the affected families and those involved in the rescue operation.

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"This is not the time for politics; those affected were someone's children. Instead of playing politics, one should offer support. The opposition should not do this; they should stand in solidarity," he said. In a separate response, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) ordered the immediate sealing of all illegal constructions with more than four floors and warned of strict action against officials found responsible. “All illegal constructions with more than four floors will be immediately sealed, and strict action will be taken against the guilty officials, leading to their immediate dismissal. These orders will be implemented with immediate effect,” the MCD said.

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