Delhi Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Lookout Notice Against Owner, Police Teams Conduct Raids

New Delhi: Police have intensified action in the case of the collapse of a five-storey PG building in Satya Niketan, Delhi. A lookout notice has been issued against building owner Hariram, who is absconding after the accident. Police have formed 10 teams to nab him and raids are being conducted in Delhi as well as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. So far, seven people have been confirmed dead in this accident, while 12 people have been rescued safely from the debris.

Why were 10 police teams busy searching for Hariram?

According to the police, Hariram also has a hideout in Gurugram, but he has not been caught by the police since the accident. Local district police, special staff and other operational units have been deployed to search for him. The command of each team has been given to an additional DCP-level officer. Police are raiding possible targets in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Under which sections was the case registered against the owner?

An FIR has been registered against Hariram and others at South Campus police station. This includes charges related to culpable homicide, negligence in maintenance of the building and endangering the lives of people. The police are now also examining the documents related to the work going on in the building and its condition before the accident.

Why did the building collapse during repairs?

This building of Satya Niketan was near the South Campus of Delhi University and PG was running for the students in it. The building suddenly collapsed around 1:30 pm on Sunday afternoon. At that time repair and alteration work was going on in the building. It is also being seen in the investigation whether any such change was made in any part during construction or repair, which may have affected the strength of the structure.

Is there a possibility of someone being buried under the debris?

The rescue operation continued for the second day on Monday. Teams of NDRF, Delhi Fire Service, Police and Delhi Disaster Management Authority remained busy in removing the debris. According to officials, a large amount of debris had been removed, but an unsafe nearby building also remained a challenge during the operation. For this reason the rescue teams had to work very carefully.

Will action be taken on nearby buildings also?

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta again visited the incident site and took stock of the situation. She has given instructions to investigate the PG and other buildings running nearby. The government is preparing to implement the system of regular structural audit and safety certification for PGs, schools, nursing homes and other public use buildings. At the same time, MCD has said that it will start action to seal illegal buildings having more than four floors.

Will the officers also be held accountable in this case?

The Chief Minister has clearly said that if negligence of any government official is revealed in the investigation, action will be taken against him also. The government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter. In such a situation, now the investigation is not going to be limited to just the building owner. Aspects related to the building's approval, safety standards and activities undertaken during the renovation are also being examined.