NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested PG operator Sudhanshu in connection with the Satya Niketan building collapse that left seven people dead.Police had earlier arrested alleged owner Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila and their son Mahesh.According to investigators, the property was registered in Urmila’s name, the electricity connection was in Hariram’s name, while Mahesh was involved in managing the PG.Also read: 4 floors higher, Rs 4 lakh a month: The greed behind Delhi PG ‘Hostel Daze’
Rescue operation ends after 27 hours
The five-storey building housing the boys’ PG near Delhi University’s South Campus collapsed around 1.30pm on Sunday.After more than 27 hours of rescue work, the operation ended at 5.10pm on Monday, with officials confirming that all debris had been cleared. A total of 12 people were rescued, seven of whom died.Rescuers repeatedly switched between heavy machinery and manual excavation while searching for survivors. Oxygen cylinders were also lowered into cavities to help those trapped breathe.
Family’s role, renovation work under probe
Hariram was initially untraceable after the collapse and was later apprehended in Bhiwadi. Police had formed 10 teams to trace him and also issued a Look Out Circular.Police subsequently arrested Urmila and Mahesh. Investigators are examining the family’s role in the property and the running of the PG, besides checking whether they operated other PG facilities in the area.Police are also probing renovation work allegedly being carried out in the basement before the collapse. Locals said water had accumulated there after days of rain and claimed the work may have weakened the structure.The building, known as Hostel Daze, stood on around 55 square yards in a resettlement colony where permission had reportedly been granted only for a G+1 structure. The MCD said the building violated construction norms.
Five MCD officials suspended
The Delhi government suspended five South Zone MCD officials: deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar, superintending engineer Ranvir Singh, executive engineer Lalit Kumar Goel, assistant engineer Sunil Chauhan and junior engineer Ashish Kumar.MCD commissioner Sanjiv Khirwar said the action followed local allegations and the ongoing inquiry into basement work, while asserting that the civic body had “zero tolerance” towards unauthorised construction.The Delhi government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collapse.Further investigation is underway.