Delhi PG Owner Held in Rajasthan After Building Collapse

The owner of a paying guest accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, where a multi-storey building collapsed and killed at least seven people, has been arrested in Rajasthan.

Hariram Gupta, who had been absconding since the incident, was detained on Monday, a day after the building collapsed during repair work. The collapse took place at around 1.30 pm on Sunday in the Satya Niketan area near Delhi University’s South Campus.

Officials said 12 people have so far been rescued from the debris, including the seven people who died. Several others were injured and are receiving treatment.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and reviewed the ongoing rescue and relief operations. She said around 80 per cent of the debris had been removed, with the remaining material mainly located in the basement.

According to the chief minister, water had accumulated in the basement of the old building. She said the combination of the water accumulation and repair work being carried out on the ageing structure may have contributed to the collapse.

The building was being used as a boys’ PG accommodation and housed students from different states, including Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Many of the students reportedly attended colleges located close to the building, including Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College and Sri Venkateswara College.

Following the incident, the Delhi government ordered authorities to seal buildings in the capital that have five floors. Gupta said strict action would be taken against Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials if they were found responsible for negligence.

The government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collapse, while an FIR has been registered against the building owner.

The adjacent building, which authorities have described as unsafe, has also been evacuated. Gupta said it would be demolished after the debris from the collapsed structure is cleared.

Multiple agencies, including Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, the National Disaster Response Force and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, took part in the overnight rescue operation.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of old buildings being used as paying guest accommodations in areas with large student populations. Authorities are now expected to inspect other potentially unsafe structures and take preventive measures to avoid similar incidents.