Delhi building collapse LIVE: At least five dead; FIR registered against alleged owner - The Hindu

**Delhi Building Collapse Claims at Least Five Lives; FIR Filed Against Alleged Owner**

*New Delhi, September 6 — A four‑storey residential block in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood of Delhi collapsed late on Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring several others. Emergency services rushed to the site, pulling survivors from the rubble with cranes and hand‑search teams while police cordoned off the area. The Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the building’s alleged owner, Rajesh Singh (38), and two contractors for “culpable homicide” and “negligence leading to danger to life,” citing violations of the Delhi Building Bye‑Laws.*

*Investigators say the structure, erected more than five decades ago, had long shown signs of distress. Residents reported persistent cracks, water‑logging in the basement, and illegal repairs that compromised the building’s integrity. A recent renovation of the basement—intended to address chronic seepage—appears to have involved unauthorized removal of load‑bearing walls, a practice flagged in earlier municipal inspections but never acted upon. The Hindu’s earlier report highlighted that “greed revived” the deteriorating edifice, pointing to the owner’s decision to rent out the premises despite clear structural warnings, a move that may have accelerated the collapse.*

*The tragedy has sparked outrage among the victims’ families, local residents, and student communities, many of whom used social media to locate missing friends and share pleas for assistance. Political leaders, including Union Minister Amit Shah, postponed a scheduled BJP office inauguration in Goa as a mark of respect, underscoring the incident’s national resonance. Delhi’s civic authorities have vowed a comprehensive audit of aging structures and stricter enforcement of safety norms, while the police continue to question the accused parties and collect forensic evidence to determine the precise cause of the collapse.*