Seven people have died and eight others suffered critical injuries after a building collapsed in Delhi’s Saidulajab near the Saket Metro Station on Saturday evening.
According to information, 15 people were pulled from under the debris and rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre.
The deceased have been identified as Ravi (26), Nalin (26), Alok (26), Parwati (29), Ekta (23), Kapil (28) and Parvati Ojha. Given the situation, the death toll is expected to rise.
The building that collapsed on Saturday evening was more than a commercial structure. It housed offices, coaching-related facilities and small businesses that catered to the large section of students living in Saidulajab and Saket.
According to police officials, construction work was reportedly underway on the fourth and fifth floor when the structure gave way, sending tonnes of debris crashing onto the ground with impact on an adjoining tin-shed canteen frequently visited by students preparing for competitive exams, including the Foreign Medical Graduate exam.
Two days before the building collapse, Nalin came to prepare for Indian Engineering Services. He did graduation from MIT, Muzaffarpur, and had chosen preparation over employment.
Parvati Ojha, a Nepal-born canteen owner in her early 50s had spent more than two decades serving meals to students in the neighbourhood. For many young aspirants living away from home, she was more than a canteen operator.
The injured include Kshitij Pratap (25), an MBBS graduate from Russia preparing for internship exams in India, Aditya Sharma (24), a GATE aspirant, Vishal (24), Anuj Dixit (25), another GATE aspirant and Aastha (25), a NEET-PG aspirant. While Tarun Kumar (26), Saika Khan (27), Neelam Yadav (25), Aditya Sharma (24) and Kshitij Pratap (25) were still undergoing treatment, Anuj Dixit (25), Aastha (25) and Vishal (24) were discharged from the hospital.
Rescue ops underway
The Delhi Fire Services received a call regarding the collapse at 7.44 pm on Saturday, said an official. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Police, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had been working through the night to clear debris and look for survivors.
The AIIMS, Delhi, said Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC) received 13 patients linked to the incident. Of them, five were brought dead, six remain admitted and three were discharged after treatment.
“The victims are from different parts of the country. We have also confirmed the death of Parvati Ojha,” Dr Mohammad Momin of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) told The Tribune.
Authorities act tough
As rescue operations continue, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has suspended Junior Engineer Aman Jain and Assistant Engineer Sudesh Singh Chouhan.
The suspension orders cite dereliction of duty, lack of effective supervision and slackness in the discharge of official responsibilities. The action has intensified questions about whether warning signs were overlooked and whether sufficient monitoring of the property took place before the collapse.
‘Met Nalin just two days ago’
For Anand Kumar, the news came as a shock. Anand recalled meeting Nalin in Delhi only two days ago. “I met him just two days ago in Delhi,” he said.
The two had studied together at MIT, Muzaffarpur. He said Nalin had moved to Delhi to prepare for the Engineering Services examination. “After graduation, he focused entirely on preparation for competitive examinations,” he added. He described Nalin as a dedicated student with a strong academic record who had maintained a CGPA of around 7.5 during engineering.
There were two other friends associated with Nalin, who were also caught in the incident. While Aditya suffered serious injuries and is currently being treated at JPNATC, AIIMS, Ashutosh sustained injuries but was discharged today.
A neighbourhood built around aspirations
The collapse occurred in a locality that has become a magnet for students and young professionals. The lanes around Saidulajab and Saket are filled with coaching centres, libraries, hostels and rented accommodations occupied by people who have moved to Delhi from across the country in pursuit of examinations, jobs and careers.
That reality has amplified the impact of the tragedy. The victims were not merely residents of a building. They were people who had travelled hundreds of km, carrying ambitions shared by millions of young Indians.
