Death Toll Climbs to Seven in Delhi Building Collapse as Arrests Are Made

The death toll in a three-storey building collapse in central Delhi's Hauz Qazi area has risen to seven after rescuers recovered another body on Sunday. The latest victim is 66-year-old Luchhuman Mukhiya from Bihar's Darbhanga. His body was found in the debris near Chawri Bazar and sent to LNJP Hospital. Rescue teams have worked for over 70 hours since the structure fell on November 5 at 9.45 am while construction workers were laying a roof slab.

Arrests and Violations

Police have arrested the building owner, Saimullah alias Ayub, along with three contractors named Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan. Officers tracked down the three contractors in Faridabad's Sirohi. Authorities registered an FIR at Hauz Qazi police station on November 5 under Sections 105, 290, 125(a) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi stated that the builders had no sanctioned plan for the structure, which was rising on a 50-square-metre plot.

Casualties

The seven workers who lost their lives are Sanjeet Kumar, Kishori Sah, Pankaj Sharma, Vipin Ram, Shantu, Dinesh Sah and Luchhuman Mukhiya. Four of these men hailed from Bihar, while Vipin Ram lived in Delhi's Mandawali area. Emergency workers are still searching through the rubble to check if anyone else remains trapped underneath.

Context

Illegal construction and safety rule violations frequently lead to deadly building collapses in dense urban areas across India. Municipal authorities often face scrutiny over lax enforcement of building codes after such tragedies occur.