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Satya Niketan collapse
A five-storey building housing students in Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed on Sunday afternoon, with at least one person killed and dozens feared trapped inside the “Hostel Daze” structure near Delhi University’s South Campus.
“around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) on Sunday”
The BBC reported the collapse happened around 13:30 local time (08:00 GMT) and said eyewitnesses told local media that as many as 50 people were inside when it came down.
Delhi Police said the building had only been 40 or 50 years old, and the BBC said there had been construction work going on in the basement.
The rescue operation involved police, firefighters and the National Disaster Response Force, with the BBC adding that six people were said to have been rescued so far and two others were in a critical condition.
Phone calls and politics
South-West Delhi MLA Anil Sharma said many students trapped beneath the debris were making phone calls from within, and he said the government’s primary objective was to rescue all those trapped.
NDTV quoted Sharma saying, "Some students are even making calls from within, and it appears there are still others trapped inside, so rescue efforts are ongoing."
The BBC also reported that a legislative assembly member said at the scene that some of the trapped students had been making calls from under the rubble.
The collapse triggered political accusations, with the Gulf News report noting that AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged corruption in municipal building oversight, while also stating there had been no official finding linking the collapse to corruption.
Rescue, injuries, and fallout
As search and rescue continued, multiple outlets described different injury and death counts, with the BBC saying at least one person was killed and two were in a critical condition, while the Times of India said two people were killed and that eight injured persons were brought to hospitals.
“"A total of seven people were brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, and one person was brought to Safdarjung Hospital."”
The Times of India cited the AIIMS Trauma Centre saying, "A total of seven people were brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, and one person was brought to Safdarjung Hospital."
The Times of India also reported that Delhi Police was registering an FIR in connection with the incident, and that the building comprised a basement and five upper floors and was being used as PG accommodation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Police Commissioner and the NDRF chief to take stock of the rescue operation, while Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said rescue operations were being conducted on a “war footing,” and the neighbouring building was evacuated as a precaution.