New Delhi: A five-storey building being used as a boys' paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Sunday afternoon, killing one person and leaving several others feared trapped under the debris.

Rescue teams, including the Delhi Police, fire services and the National Disaster Response Force, were deployed as authorities searched the rubble for survivors.

Delhi building collapse leaves one dead

The building, known as ‘Hostel Daze’, collapsed at around 1.30 pm in Satya Niketan, an area close to Delhi University's South Campus that has several student hostels, PG accommodations and eateries.

The Delhi Police said it received a PCR call at around 1.34 pm regarding the collapse near Nanakpura Gurdwara. Officials initially said the exact number of people trapped or injured was not known, with some people rescued from the site.

AIIMS sources later said four patients were brought to the hospital following the incident. One person was declared dead on arrival, while two others were in critical condition. A rescuer who was also taken to hospital was later discharged.

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Rescue teams search rubble

Police, fire services, ambulance teams and other emergency personnel reached the site soon after the collapse. An NDRF team also joined the rescue operation.

The congested nature of the Satya Niketan area, where student housing is concentrated along narrow lanes, has added to the challenges of reaching and clearing the collapsed structure.

Local accounts suggested that a significant number of people could have been inside the building, but officials had not confirmed the figure. Rescue operations were continuing as authorities tried to establish how many people were inside when the building collapsed.

 

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Basement work raises safety questions

Officials and local residents said construction or renovation work was reportedly taking place in the basement before the collapse. However, the exact cause of the building failure was still under investigation and no final conclusion had been established.

The incident has raised wider questions about the safety of privately run PG accommodations and student housing in areas around Delhi University.

Student and teacher groups demand safety audits

The collapse prompted calls from student and teacher organisations for a wider review of student accommodation across Delhi.

The National Democratic Teachers' Front, ABVP, NSUI and SFI called for swift rescue operations and action against those found responsible for safety violations or negligence.

The organisations also called for inspections of privately operated hostels and PG accommodations around Delhi University's campuses. Concerns raised included structural safety, fire safety, overcrowding, ventilation, sanitation and the condition of buildings in densely populated student areas.

The NDTF also highlighted the narrow lanes around several student residential areas, which can make emergency response more difficult.

Abhijeet Dipke questions government over student safety

Against this backdrop, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the collapse.

Dipke referred to Modi's visit to Delhi University the previous day and questioned the attention given to educational infrastructure and student safety.

In a post on X, Dipke said students should not have to “pay the price for failing infrastructure and neglect” and questioned whether the Prime Minister would return to DU and explain how the incident occurred.

He also linked the Delhi incident to broader concerns about the safety and welfare of students, arguing that students should have access to safe classrooms, hostels and basic living conditions.

Dipke's remarks are a political reaction to the incident and do not establish that government negligence caused the building collapse. The cause of the collapse and responsibility for any safety violations remain subject to official investigation.

Why the incident has raised wider concerns

The collapse has brought renewed attention to the safety of student accommodation in Delhi, particularly in neighbourhoods surrounding major university campuses.

Many students rely on privately operated PGs and rented accommodation, making structural inspections and enforcement of building and fire safety rules important parts of student safety.

The calls for a city-wide audit also reflect concerns that inspections should not be limited to one building after an accident, but should identify potentially unsafe structures before an emergency occurs.

What happens next

The immediate priority remains the search and rescue operation and establishing the final number of people affected.

Authorities are also expected to investigate the condition of the building, any construction or renovation work underway, compliance with applicable safety rules and whether any violations contributed to the collapse.

The findings of that investigation will be important in determining responsibility and whether wider action is required against unsafe PGs and student accommodations across Delhi.