New Delhi: Three contractors have been arrested in connection with the collapse of an under-construction building in Delhi’s Chawri Bazar area that left two people dead and several others injured, police said on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan, all residents of Sirohi village in Haryana’s Faridabad district. Police said they were arrested in connection with a case registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following the collapse.
The three-storey structure came down at Gali Sheesh Mahal in the Gali Shehatara area near Ajmeri Gate at around 10:30 am on Thursday. Two people, identified as 40-year-old Kishori and 45-year-old Sanjeet, died in the incident, while five others sustained injuries.
Rescue operations continued amid concerns that people could still be trapped beneath the rubble. Officials had earlier said that five people were suspected to be inside the basement, while four others had been rescued.
The congested location has made the rescue operation particularly difficult. The building stands at the end of a narrow lane measuring barely three feet in width, preventing access for large rescue vehicles and heavy machinery.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other agencies were therefore forced to work largely on foot, with debris being removed manually and compact equipment being used where possible.
Following the collapse, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered the suspension of the concerned Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineer. She also directed authorities to register an FIR against the contractor and ordered strict action against those found responsible.
