Delhi Police have formed 10 teams to trace owner Hariram Bansal as rescue operations continue for a second day and authorities probe the collapse of the five-storey PG accommodation
New Delhi: Seven people have died and 12 have been rescued after a five-storey building housing a paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, near Delhi University’s South Campus, on Sunday.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR against building owner Hariram Bansal and others and issued a Lookout Circular against Bansal, who remains untraceable. Ten police teams have been formed to locate him, with searches underway across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The case includes charges related to culpable homicide, negligence in maintaining a structure and endangering public safety.
Locally known as Hostel Daze, the nearly 50-year-old building was being used as a boys’ PG and housed students from South Campus colleges. It collapsed around 1.30 pm while repair and renovation work was reportedly underway in the basement.
NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Disaster Management Authority and Delhi Police continued rescue operations into Monday. Officials said the exact number of people still trapped remains unclear.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said around 80 per cent of the debris had been cleared and ordered inspections of PG accommodations and other buildings. The adjacent building, declared unsafe, has been evacuated and is expected to be demolished.
Meanwhile, the MCD has ordered the immediate sealing of illegal buildings above four floors, with action against officials found negligent.
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