6 killed as university dormitory building collapses in New Delhi

Six people have died and several others injured after a five-storey private student hostel building collapsed in Satya Niketan area, near South Campus, New Delhi. The accident occurred around 1:30 PM on Sunday, September 6, 2026, when repair work was being carried out on the ground floor of the building, known as "Hostel Days".

With a newly discovered body, the death toll has risen to six, and rescue operations to free those trapped in the rubble are still underway as of Monday morning.

It is reported that between 30 and 50 people, including students and construction workers, were inside the building at the time of the accident. As it was a Sunday with no lectures, many students were in their rooms. Some of those trapped in the rubble made phone calls asking for help, and one student, while still trapped, made an 11-second emergency video call pleading to be rescued. Those injured in the incident have been admitted to AIIMS JPN Apex Trauma Centre; five of them were dead upon admission, and another person died later.

Since the moment of the accident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service, Police, and local residents have been continuously engaged in rescue operations. Officials are using special listening devices, search dog teams, camera systems, gas cutters, and oxygen cylinders to search for the missing. As the building collapsed in a "pancake" style, with one floor falling flat onto another, JCB machines are being used carefully to remove the debris to avoid further harm to those trapped underneath.

The building, which was 40 to 55 years old, initially had approval only for the ground and first floors but was later illegally extended to five floors. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the building's foundation was weakened due to water accumulation in the lower ground floor and the excavation and repair work carried out there, leading to the accident. Students had previously been evacuated for repair work on the building, which was later reopened as a student hostel. Nearby security cameras recorded the entire building collapsing into a cloud of dust within a few seconds.

A case has been registered against the building owner, Hariram Bansal, and several others under sections of the Penal Code for culpable homicide, public nuisance, and endangering safety in connection with the incident. Police have launched a special investigation to find the owner, who fled after the incident, and a lookout circular has also been issued. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has declared the building a dangerous structure and ordered its demolition within three days, also ordering the sealing of all illegal constructions exceeding four floors across the city.

The Chief Minister, who has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, stated that a new policy will be formulated to mandate periodic structural safety certificates for buildings and hostels used for public purposes. Student organizations like ABVP and NSUI are also joining relief efforts and demanding assurance of safety in student hostels. Such building collapses are frequent in Indian cities, which are characterized by narrow streets and uncontrolled illegal constructions, and this tragedy comes after several similar accidents reported from Delhi this year.