Delhi Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises to Seven; 12 Rescued and Hospitalised at AIIMS

New Delhi. The death toll in the building collapse in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan area rose to seven on Monday as rescue teams continued their search operation for the second consecutive day. Twelve people have been rescued from the debris and taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for treatment.

Delhi Police have arrested the building owner, Hariram, from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan in connection with the incident. The collapse occurred on Sunday afternoon at around 1:30 pm, while repair work was reportedly underway in the basement of the building.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site for the second consecutive day to review the rescue operation. She warned that strict action would be taken against officials found responsible for any negligence. Following her visit, MCD Deputy Commissioner of the South Zone Rakesh Kumar and four engineers were suspended.

According to the Chief Minister, nearly 80 per cent of the debris had been cleared by Monday. Rescue teams were continuing to remove rubble, including debris from the basement area, in an effort to ensure that no one remained trapped.

Gupta also directed officials to seal all five-storey buildings in the city as a precautionary measure. The incident has raised concerns over building safety and construction and repair practices in the capital.

The approximately 30-year-old five-storey building housed a boys’ paying guest accommodation near Delhi University’s South Campus. Local residents alleged that the basement was waterlogged, which may have weakened the structure. The exact cause of the collapse, however, will be established through the ongoing investigation.

AIIMS said 12 people were brought to the hospital. Three of them—Asgar Ali, 30, Neeraj Bawa, 19, and Aditya Kumar, 19—were in critical condition. One person was discharged, while 19-year-old Nitish Chib was reported to be in stable condition.

AIIMS said the identities of those who died had not yet been ascertained. The rescue operation and investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse remain underway.