The 71-year-old owner of the five-storey building that collapsed in Delhi's Mehrauli, killing six people, was arrested on Monday. While six people lost their lives in the incident, seven others sustained injuries.
The accused has been identified as Karamveer, 71, son of Mangal Singh.
Rescue and Debris Clearance Operations
Suneel Kumar Singh, commandant of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said debris-clearing operations are currently underway. He added that no trace of any living person was found under the rubble, despite the use of sniffer dogs and advanced equipment during the search operation, as reported by ANI.
“The work of removing debris is underway. The NDRF team is on the ground and is on standby. If needed, they will continue their work. Sniffer dogs are used to locate survivors trapped inside. They track scents and provide indicators that dog handlers can interpret. However, in our search using dogs, no survivor was indicated. Therefore, using all our equipment, whether mechanical or canine resources, we haven’t found any trace of a live victim,” he said.
Incident Timeline and Police Response
Information about the building collapse was first received on Saturday evening at around 7:35 pm by beat staff during routine patrol in Saidulajab village. Police acted swiftly, following which rescue operations were launched.
The collapse of the five-storey structure in the Mehrauli area has raised concerns about building safety and illegal constructions in the capital. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, and further legal proceedings against the owner are expected.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges related to urban safety and enforcement of building regulations in rapidly growing cities.
