Collapse in Satya Niketan
A five-storey building used as a boys' paying guest accommodation collapsed on Sunday in the Satya Niketan area of southwest Delhi, near Delhi University's South Campus. The collapse triggered a major rescue operation in the densely populated neighbourhood, with officials confirming at least one death and several people, including students, feared trapped under the debris.
Police said the exact number of people trapped or injured was not immediately known. Officials cited in multiple reports said one person had died and two others were critically injured, while other accounts put the death toll at three students. The collapsed structure, known locally as 'Hostel Daze', was reported to be around 40 to 50 years old, comprising a basement and five upper floors, and was being used as a PG accommodation. Delhi Police said repair work was underway in the basement at the time of the incident.
Political reactions
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the incident, describing it as "extremely heartbreaking and alarming" in a post on X. He said reports indicated that several people were trapped, including many students from Delhi University, and urged the NDRF, Delhi Fire Service, and all rescue teams to make every possible effort to reach those trapped. "Every student's life is precious, and their protection must be ensured under all circumstances," he said.
Gandhi also highlighted the lack of adequate hostel facilities, saying students were forced to live in PG accommodations in "inhumane conditions," often with dozens sharing a single roof. Congress and NSUI workers were reported to be at the scene assisting in rescue efforts.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the collapse "deeply distressing" and "an avoidable tragedy," urging every effort to rescue the trapped and ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. He added that the tragedy exposed the "unsafe, overcrowded PGs" students are forced to live in due to inadequate hostel facilities.
Other Congress leaders also weighed in. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the incident "shocking," while K C Venugopal alleged it was the latest in a long list of accidents due to the "negligence" of authorities. Abhishek Manu Singhvi noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Delhi University's SRCC a day earlier for a "carefully staged spectacle," and questioned why building safety audits had failed the students. "If the PM truly considers himself a DU student, perhaps he should ask why building safety audits failed the very students who need the Government's protection most," Singhvi said on X.
Congress treasurer Ajay Maken referred to an earlier building collapse in Saidulajab on May 30, which killed students preparing for exams, and demanded that the Delhi Municipal Corporation disclose how many PG buildings around Delhi University campuses had undergone safety inspections and what issues were found. Delhi Congress chief Devendra Yadav said the incident raised serious questions about government policies, urging the Prime Minister to prioritise student safety. NSUI chief Vinod Jakhar alleged that the administration reached the spot nearly two hours after the collapse, and demanded accountability for the negligence of the Delhi administration. Rajeev Shukla said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy and prayed for the safety of those feared trapped.
AAP and other reactions
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal described the collapse as "extremely tragic and alarming," attributing it to the government's negligence in Delhi. "The government must wake up from its slumber," he said, urging large-scale measures to improve public safety.
AAP MP Atishi demanded urgent relief operations and a high-level inquiry into the collapse, calling for strict action against those responsible for negligence. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that unchecked illegal construction and corruption had contributed to repeated building-related incidents in Delhi, citing a recent four-storey collapse in Saket. Former Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi criticised the Delhi government and the BJP-ruled MCD over alleged safety violations, calling the incident "yet another proof of the BJP's dilapidated governance system."
CPI general secretary D Raja blamed "government negligence, incompetence and corruption" for the collapse and demanded compensation for victims, as well as a time-bound safety audit of all PG accommodations and hostels in the city.
Rescue operations and investigation
Rescue teams, including the NDRF and Delhi Fire Service, continued efforts to locate and free those trapped under the debris. Police said they had identified the building's owner and formed teams to trace him. The total number of casualties remained uncertain as operations were ongoing.