Satya Niketan boys’ PG building collapse prompts rescue efforts and allegations of safety lapses

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over student safety and the state of educational infrastructure after a five-storey hostel building collapsed in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, leaving three people dead and several others feared trapped.Dipke said students in tribal areas were dying due to inadequate care and support, while students in the national capital were also facing safety concerns. Dipke Questions Modi Over Educational InfrastructureIn a post on X, Dipke said Modi had visited Delhi University a day earlier and delivered a political speech in which he invoked the term “dimagi naxal”, but had little to say about the condition of educational infrastructure in the country.“Today, a hostel building in South Campus has collapsed, with students feared trapped under the debris. The number of casualties is still unknown,” he said.Yesterday, the PM visited DU, gave a political speech and even invoked the term “Dimagi Naxal,” while speaking very little about the state of our educational infrastructure.Today, a hostel building in South Campus has collapsed, with students feared trapped under the debris.…— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) September 6, 2026 Delhi's Satya Niketan PG Building Collapse: 3 Of 8 Brought To AIIMS Were Dead On Arrival, 1 In Critical Condition Rescue operations were underway at the building, identified as Hostel Daze, and nine people had been pulled from the debris. Locals said some of those trapped had made phone calls seeking help.“How long must students be made to pay the price for failing infrastructure?” Dipke asked.He said students in tribal areas lacked adequate care and support, while those studying in the national capital also faced safety risks.“Adivasi students are dying in tribal belts due to a lack of care and support, and even students studying in the national capital are not safe,” he said, demanding safe classrooms, safe hostels and basic dignity for students.“Is that really too much to ask?” Dipke said, asking whether the Prime Minister would visit DU again and explain how the building collapsed. Repair Work Reportedly Underway In BasementAccording to locals, the building had around 15 rooms, with two to three students staying in each room. Construction or repair work was reportedly underway in the basement.Delhi's Satya Niketan PG Building Collapse: Child Trapped Under Debris Makes Video Seeking Help As Rescue Operation Continues A local claimed that water had accumulated in the basement after several days of rain and may have weakened the building’s foundation, leading to the collapse. The claim could not be independently verified. Residents Raise Concerns Over Other BuildingsMany hostel residents are from Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College, located across the road.Residents also raised concerns about the structural safety of other buildings in the area, several of which have been converted into paying guest accommodation for students.

“My parents called me worried when this incident happened. I just moved to Delhi for college and this situation has scared me. I hope we are safe,” a first-year student from Shri Venkateshwara College told Newslaundry, requesting anonymity.A resident of Bihar, she lives in one of the many paying guest accommodations in Satya Niketan, a locality popular with Delhi University students. On Sunday afternoon, a five-storey PG known as Hostel Daze collapsed, trapping several people inside and triggering a frantic rescue operation.Construction or repair work was underway on the ground floor of the building when it collapsed, according to eyewitnesses. Chaos and panic unfolded in the area as students, residents, police and rescue personnel rushed to the site.Apart from PG residents, construction workers are also feared to be trapped in rubble. At the time of writing this report, 10 had been pulled out, of whom five are dead, according to the police. Those rescued were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where they were stated to be in critical condition, officials said.The exact number of those still trapped remained unclear. Several news reports put the number at around 20 to 25, while residents in Satya Niketan claimed that at least 40 people may have been affected. Since the collapse took place on a Sunday, when many students would have been inside their rooms, residents feared the toll could rise.The Delhi Fire Services received a call about the collapse at around 1.33 pm. Rescue teams reached the site around 1.50 pm and began search operations. Multiple Delhi Fire Services and NDRF teams, including search and rescue and breathing apparatus units, were deployed, along with water bowser units. Residents, including students, also rushed to the spot and helped with the initial rescue effort. In their first reactions, students living in the area called ambulances through quick-commerce platform Blinkit to the site. As per a paramedic with Blinkit ambulances, close to 17 ambulances were at the spot.Students rush to rescueAs rescuers continued their work, students formed human chains to keep crowds away from the site and allow emergency personnel carrying bodies to reach ambulances.Ritesh Rao, an NSUI member from Telangana who had come to Delhi for the DUSU elections, found himself among those helping with the rescue effort. “We could hear students who were calling for help when they were trapped. In fact, one of them sent a video to one of us stating their conditions. The people were trapped amongst heavy slabs which were hazardous,” he said. Several NSUI members were among those who reached the spot soon after the collapse. Vishesh Yadav, another NSUI member, said residents could hear people calling for help. “The police and rescue people were slightly delayed. We heard people who were shouting for help. Right now, our focus is that the rescue should happen fast,” he said.Yogank Goyal, a student at PGDAV College who is contesting his college union elections as a member of the Student Reform Group, said students from the college were trying to ascertain whether one of their classmates was among those trapped.“We got to know that a second-year B Com student from our college was trapped in this incident. When we inquired about him with the officials, they told us to check in AIIMS, as six people had been rescued. When we got the list from AIIMS, his name was not there,” he said.Concerns over buildings, overcrowded PGsFor students living in Satya Niketan, Sunday’s collapse also raised questions about the condition of buildings and the safety of PG accommodations in the locality.Lokesh Kumawat, DCAC studentThere have been similar incidents in the past as well. Last year, another building in our area collapsed, there were no casualties. Everyone gives sympathy and forgets.Lokesh Kumawat, a third-year student at Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, said the building had been in poor condition for a long time. “The building was in poor condition for a long time. It’s an old construction. Four-five police personnel from the Satya Niketan police booth were present there. The administration, ambulances and NDRF did arrive late,” he said.“There have been similar incidents in the past as well. Last year, another building in our area collapsed, there were no casualties. Everyone gives sympathy and forgets,” he said.He also raised concerns about Moti Gaon, an area near Satya Niketan that he described as particularly congested. “Should such an incident happen in Moti Gaon, it would be difficult for rescue teams to even reach there,” he said. Waterlogging is another major concern for residents, Kumawat said. “We are paying high rents and still such situations happen.”Rahul, a student living in Satya Niketan, said students often pay high rents for cramped accommodation. “For double-sharing rooms, which are so small, we are paying high rents between Rs 12,000-15,000 as many colleges do not have hostels,” he said.Mahendra, a first-year PhD student at Delhi University, said similar concerns exist around North Campus. “I live in the Christian Colony near North Campus where the area is extremely congested. It won’t be a surprising thing that such mishaps happen there. It is the university’s responsibility to provide safe hostels to its students,” he said.Students living in and around Satya Niketan told Newslaundry that PG accommodations in the area often house a large number of students in relatively small spaces. According to their accounts, a floor in some PGs can have four rooms with around 10 beds in total. Students said Hostel Daze had a similar arrangement. Residents and personnel at the site also raised concerns about the structural condition of buildings adjoining the collapsed structure. Police register FIRAdditional DCP South West Abhimanyu Poswal told the press that a First Information Report (FIR) had been registered and that police were trying to ascertain further details.The building was owned by a Gurgaon resident named Hari Om and his brothers, Anand Bansal and Azad Bansal, owned different plots and buildings around the structure, the Indian Express reported.Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the collapse in a statement posted by the Prime Minister’s Office on X. “Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” PM Modi said.Home Minister Amit Shah cancelled his scheduled visit to Goa, where he was going to inaugurate a newly constructed BJP office. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the collapse site before going to AIIMS, where the injured were admitted. “Whoever is responsible for this, whether it is the building owner or an official, will not be spared,” she told reporters.Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also expressed concern over the incident and appealed to the NDRF, Delhi Fire Service and other rescue personnel to make every effort to reach those trapped and ensure that the injured received immediate medical treatment.Not the first building collapse in the areaSatya Niketan has witnessed a similar building collapse before. In 2022, the terrace of a three-storey house undergoing renovation collapsed, killing two people and injuring several others. Six workers were trapped in the collapse.The incident also comes amid other recent concerns over building safety in Delhi. In May 2026, a multi-storey commercial building collapsed in Saket. A fire at a hotel in Malviya Nagar also killed 22 people, including foreign nationals.Newslaundry has reached out to the DFS and Delhi police officials to seek their response on the alleged delay in reaching the site and this report will be updated if a response is received. 

New Delhi: A child trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed boys' paying guest accommodation in Delhi's Satya Niketan area made a video from under the debris, seeking help as rescuers raced to locate and evacuate those trapped inside the wreckage.The video emerged after the five-storey building, which housed a boys' PG, came crashing down in south Delhi's Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. The collapse left several people trapped beneath the debris and claimed at least one life, with rescue teams continuing their search through the rubble.The incident occurred at around 1.30 pm in the congested neighbourhood, located close to Delhi University's South Campus and surrounded by student accommodations, eateries and narrow lanes. The building, reportedly known locally as 'Hostel Daze', was said by residents to be around two decades old.दिल्ली मोतीबाग पीजी बिल्डिंग हादसे मैं मलबे में फंसे बच्चे ने अपना वीडियो बना कर मदद मांगी । बच्चे की हिम्मत को सलाम, ज़िंदगी की सलामती के लिए दुआएँ #Delhi #DelhiBuildingCollapsed pic.twitter.com/rCwzIswza4— Peenaaz Tyagi (@peenaz_tyagi) September 6, 2026 ‘Some Students Still Trapped, Making Calls’: BJP MLA As Rescue Ops Continue In DelhiChild's video highlights desperate situation under rubbleThe video made by the trapped child offers a grim glimpse into the situation faced by those caught beneath the collapsed structure. Unable to get out, the child recorded the video to alert others and seek assistance, underscoring the urgency of the rescue operation.The exact number of people still trapped remains unclear. While eyewitnesses estimated that more than 20 people could have been buried under the debris, authorities have not confirmed the figure.A police control room call was received by the South Campus police station at 1.34 pm regarding the collapse of a building near Nanakpura Gurdwara."The exact number of persons trapped/injured is not known at present. Some people have been rescued so far. Further details will be shared as and when confirmed," read the statement.#WATCH | Drone visuals from the building collapse site in Satya Niketan of Delhi's South-West district. Rescue operations ongoing.Delhi Police said, “From the local enquiry, it came to knowledge that this was a 40–50-year-old building, comprising a basement and five upper… pic.twitter.com/UejHOuF2XC— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 Delhi Building Collapse: 1 Dead, Several Trapped As Five-Storey Boys' PG Crumbles In Satya Niketan | Videos One dead, two critical as rescue teams search rubbleFour patients were taken to hospital following the incident. According to AIIMS sources, two of them remain in critical condition, while one person was declared dead on arrival. A rescuer who was taken to the hospital has since been discharged.Multiple agencies have been deployed at the site, including local police personnel, fire brigade teams, CAT Ambulance services and other emergency responders. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also joined the operation.Rescue workers are continuing to clear the collapsed structure and search for survivors. Police and paramilitary personnel have been positioned around the site to control the crowd and ensure that emergency vehicles can reach the affected area.Locals join rescue effort as narrow lanes slow responseResidents and eyewitnesses said they rushed towards the building immediately after the collapse and began removing rubble with their hands and whatever tools were available.#WATCH | Delhi | Satya Niketan PG building collapse | Dy Chief Warden, Delhi Civil Defence, Sumer Kumar, says, "... The lane is extremely congested and crowded... The teams on-site include Delhi Civil Defence, NDRF, Delhi Police, and Delhi Fire Services... The rescue operation is… pic.twitter.com/pUudK6HrvF— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 10 Students Rescued After 3-Storey Building Collapse In Delhi’s Satya Niketan: DUSU President - VIDEO The narrow and crowded lanes around the PG reportedly made it difficult for emergency vehicles to reach the building quickly."The hostel was always full. So many people could still be trapped under the debris. The lanes are very congested, so it was difficult for rescue vehicles to arrive at the scene faster," a local said.One eyewitness said the number of casualties could have been higher had the collapse occurred on a regular working day. Since it was Sunday, several students had reportedly travelled back to their homes."Very few were here," he said.PG housed students from across statesRajen Chhetri, a local who works with the Delhi Police, said the building contained around 15 rooms, with approximately two to three students staying in each room.#WATCH | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta oversees the rescue operations ongoing at the building collapse site in Satya Niketan. pic.twitter.com/lmj9kJknXB— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 'Govt Must Wake Up From Slumber': Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Leaders Slam Delhi Authorities Over Satya Niketan Building Collapse | Videos "Most of the students staying here are from Keralam, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study mainly at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College. They were paying around Rs 12,000 per bed," Chhetri said.Chhetri also claimed that construction activity had been taking place in the basement and alleged that water had accumulated there.“I have been living here for the last 20 years. Some construction work was going on in the basement, where water had started accumulating. The foundation was also extremely weak,” he said, adding that around 13 people had been rescued.Residents raise concerns over old buildings and PG conversionsThe collapse has also brought renewed attention to the condition of buildings in the densely populated Satya Niketan locality, where several residential properties have reportedly been converted into student accommodations.Woman Held With 75 Litres Liquor In First AC Coach, Police Probe Darbhanga Supply Network - VIDEO Priyanka, a resident who has lived in the area for around two decades, said several buildings in the neighbourhood have been expanded vertically and converted into boys' PGs, with owners often living elsewhere."Buildings here are being constructed up to five-six floors. Many houses have been converted into boys' PGs, with the owners shifting elsewhere. They simply name the properties as PGs, take the rent online and leave the area without even checking back."She alleged that the collapsed PG had seen little or no maintenance despite its age."The PG that collapsed is over 20 years old, and in all these years, I have not seen any maintenance work being carried out. The whole of Satya Niketan is full of PGs. Hardly 30 per cent of the house owners actually live here," she said.Priyanka also pointed to broader civic and infrastructure concerns in the locality."Even the gutters and sewers here are open. There were many students trapped inside the building. Since it was raining, most of them were in their rooms, while some had gone home as it was the weekend," Priyanka said.Saharanpur Mosque Demolition Triggers Political Storm, Opposition Questions Government Action Owner identified, police probe underwayPolice said the owner of the collapsed building has been identified and teams have been formed to trace him.The circumstances that led to the collapse, including the reported construction activity in the basement and allegations concerning the building's condition, are expected to form part of the investigation.Authorities have also urged residents and onlookers to keep away from the site, saying large crowds are hampering rescue operations. Security personnel have been deployed to keep access routes clear so that ambulances and rescue vehicles can move without obstruction.

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday termed the building collapse in South-West Delhi’s Satya Niketan “extremely tragic and alarming” and urged the government to “wake up from its slumber” and take large-scale measures to ensure public safety. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when a building collapsed in the Satya Niketan area, prompting a massive search and rescue operation by emergency teams and police personnel.Rescue operations underway after building collapseAccording to officials, the Delhi Fire Department received an alert regarding the collapse at around 1:30 PM, following which emergency personnel and disaster rescue units were rushed to the site to extricate those trapped under the debris. "So far, six people have been rescued and shifted to hospitals. Search and rescue operations are continuing," the Delhi Police stated. Several Feared Trapped Under Debris As Building Collapses Near DU South Campus - VIDEO#WATCH | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta oversees the rescue operations ongoing at the building collapse site in Satya Niketan. pic.twitter.com/lmj9kJknXB— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 “From the local enquiry, it came to knowledge that this was a 40–50-year-old building, comprising a basement and five upper floors, and it was used as a PG accommodation. Repair work was underway in the basement when the incident occurred," it added.Kejriwal calls incident ‘tragic and alarming’Reacting to the incident, Kejriwal took to X and said, "The incident of the building collapse in Satya Niketan, Delhi, is extremely tragic and alarming. I pray to God that the people trapped in the debris are rescued safely and quickly. Due to the government's negligence in Delhi, many such accidents have already occurred. The government must wake up from its slumber. There is a need to take large-scale action to ensure the safety of citizens."सत्य निकेतन, दिल्ली में इमारत गिरने का हादसा अत्यंत दुखद और चिंताजनक है। मेरी भगवान से प्रार्थना है कि मलबे में फंसे लोगों का सकुशल और जल्द रेस्क्यू हो जाए।दिल्ली में सरकार की लापरवाही के कारण अब तक कई हादसे हो चुके हैं। सरकार को नींद से जागना होगा। बड़े स्तर पर एक्शन लेकर… https://t.co/HSzRPPOVJy— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 6, 2026 Delhi Building Collapse: 1 Dead, Several Trapped As Five-Storey Boys' PG Crumbles In Satya Niketan | Videos#WATCH | Drone visuals from the building collapse site in Satya Niketan of Delhi's South-West district. Rescue operations ongoing.Delhi Police said, “From the local enquiry, it came to knowledge that this was a 40–50-year-old building, comprising a basement and five upper… pic.twitter.com/UejHOuF2XC— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Atishi also expressed grief and serious concern over the collapse, appealing for urgent relief efforts and demanding a high-level inquiry.Atishi demands high-level probeIn a post on X, Atishi said, "The news of the building collapse at Satya Niketan in Delhi's Moti Bagh is extremely heartbreaking and alarming. The apprehension that several people, including students, are trapped under the debris is deeply distressing. We appeal to the administration to carry out relief and rescue operations with utmost promptness and to safely extricate all those trapped under the rubble." दिल्ली के मोती बाग स्थित सत्य निकेतन में इमारत गिरने की ख़बर बेहद दुखद और चिंताजनक है। मलबे में छात्रों समेत कई लोगों के दबे होने की आशंका बेहद विचलित करने वाली है।प्रशासन से अपील है कि राहत एवं बचाव कार्य पूरी तत्परता से चलाया जाएँ और मलबे में फंसे सभी लोगों को सुरक्षित बाहर…— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) September 6, 2026 10 Students Rescued After 3-Storey Building Collapse In Delhi’s Satya Niketan: DUSU President - VIDEO#WATCH | Delhi | Satya Niketan PG building collapse | Dy Chief Warden, Delhi Civil Defence, Sumer Kumar, says, "... The lane is extremely congested and crowded... The teams on-site include Delhi Civil Defence, NDRF, Delhi Police, and Delhi Fire Services... The rescue operation is… pic.twitter.com/pUudK6HrvF— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 She added, "The government must conduct a high-level investigation into this incident and ensure strict action against those responsible for negligence, so that such painful tragedies can be prevented in the future."Bharadwaj alleges illegal construction, corruptionSpeaking to ANI, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at the authorities over unchecked illegal construction and alleged corruption across departments. #WATCH | Delhi | Satya Niketan PG building collapse | AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj says, "Just a few days ago, you saw a four-story building collapse in Saket. It took the government and the MCD a whole week to admit it was a four-story building. Initially, they kept claiming it… pic.twitter.com/kS2IPK3Vs9— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026 WATCH: 21-Year-Old Woman Jumps Into Chenab River In Kashmir's Doda, Search Operation Underway "Just a few days ago, you saw a four-story building collapse in Saket. It took the government and the MCD a whole week to admit it was a four-story building. Initially, they kept claiming it had only two floors... I am telling you about this case here as well. An illegal PG facility was operating in a four-story building... A basement was being illegally excavated there during the monsoon season," Bharadwaj told ANI.AAP leader targets officials over alleged briberyTargeting senior officials, Bharadwaj added, "Unless you go beyond the 'small fish' and target the 'big crocodiles'—the DC, the Commissioner, the one who was walking his dog in the stadium- this will keep happening... Previously, only the MCD was taking bribes. But for the past year, the MCD, the Fire Department, and the SDM/DM departments have all been taking bribes."Delhi: On the Satya Niketan building collapse, a resident says, "Initially, there was a tremendous crashing sound, followed shortly by the blaring sirens of ambulances. When we rushed outside, we saw numerous ambulances arriving at the scene. We then watched bodies being carried… pic.twitter.com/9aviIE149l— IANS (@ians_india) September 6, 2026 India Supports UN Move For Equal-Area World Map, Says Inaccurate Depiction Of Territory Unacceptable Criticising the administration over safety lapses, AAP leader and former Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi also posted on X, "Sometimes buildings are collapsing, sometimes fire incidents are shaking Delhi. The tragic accident in Satya Niketan is yet another proof of the BJP's dilapidated governance system and the failure of the BJP-ruled MCD. No action against illegal constructions, no adherence to safety rules, and no accountability either. Why should the people of Delhi pay the price for these accidents with their lives?" कभी बिल्डिंग गिर रही है, कभी आग की घटनाएं दिल्ली को दहला रही हैं।सत्य निकेतन का दर्दनाक हादसा BJP की बदहाल शासन व्यवस्था और BJP शासित MCD की नाकामी का एक और सबूत है। अवैध निर्माण पर कार्रवाई नहीं, सुरक्षा नियमों का पालन नहीं और जवाबदेही भी नहीं।दिल्ली की जनता हादसों की कीमत…— Dr. Shelly Oberoi (@OberoiShelly) September 6, 2026 (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)