7 Dead as 50-Year-Old ‘Hostel Daze’ PG Building Collapses Near DU South Campus in Satya Niketan; Owner Arrested in Rajasthan

NOB_New Delhi: A major tragedy struck the capital’s main student hub on Sunday afternoon after a five-storey paying guest (PG) building collapsed in South West Delhi’s Satya Niketan market.

The building, operating as a boys’ PG accommodation named ‘Hostel Daze’ near Delhi University’s South Campus and opposite Sri Venkateswara College, collapsed around 1:30 pm on Sunday, September 6, while repair work was reportedly underway in the basement. Locals said the structure, which comprised a basement plus five floors, was at least 50 years old.

CCTV footage showed the building turning into rubble within seconds, sending shopkeepers and pedestrians running for safety.

Rescue Operation:
Multiple agencies including Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been carrying out continuous rescue operations.

According to the latest Delhi Police update on Monday, 7 bodies have been recovered so far and 12 people have been rescued alive from the debris. The injured students were shifted to AIIMS Trauma Centre. Sniffer dogs are being used to check for anyone still trapped.

Cause & Action:
A preliminary probe points to severe negligence. Water accumulation in the basement had weakened the foundation while unauthorized repair work was being carried out on the ground floor without engineering supervision.

An FIR has been registered under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against building owner Hariram Bansal alias Hariram Gupta and others.

The owner, who had been absconding after the collapse, was apprehended in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan on Monday morning. Delhi Police had formed 10 teams and issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) to nab him.

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe, while the Delhi High Court on Monday agreed to hear a fresh PIL in connection with the collapse.

Student Protests:
The incident has triggered massive protests in the capital. On Monday, hundreds of students under ABVP and NSUI staged demonstrations outside the MCD headquarters, demanding a Rent Control Act for private PGs, government hostels under the University, and Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of the deceased.