Tragic Building Collapse Claims Lives Of Two Workers In Delhi's Okhla Area

On Thursday, tragedy struck in the Okhla area of southeast Delhi as a segment of an under-construction building collapsed, resulting in the loss of two workers' lives and injuries to six others, according to law enforcement officials.

The unfortunate incident occurred during the excavation phase for a basement within the construction site situated at Sanjay Colony, Okhla Industrial Area Phase 2. Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast), conveyed that the mishap happened while construction work was underway.

The fire department received notification about the incident at 4.55 pm and promptly dispatched three fire tenders to the location. The fire team successfully rescued the trapped workers from the collapsed basement area.

Among the injured individuals, eight were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment. Tragically, two of them, identified as Raman (18) and Mintu (50), were declared dead upon arrival, shared the DCP. The remaining injured workers are undergoing treatment, with three, namely Gulshan (28), Devender (33), and Nitish (23), receiving care at AIIMS Trauma Centre, while Arun (22), Nirmal (23), and Jaldhar (50) sustained minor injuries.

The authorities are currently in the process of verifying the building's documentation, including construction permits. A legal case has been filed under Sections 288 (pertaining to negligent conduct regarding building demolition or repair) and 304A (relating to causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has confirmed that the construction work was sanctioned, and the building plan had been approved. The incident prompted concerned individuals to flock to the scene, hoping to locate their relatives or friends who might have been involved.

Kundan Kumar, who rushed to the site upon hearing about the incident, expressed his difficulty in finding a friend who was working there during the mishap. He mentioned that all the workers had been sourced from a nearby area for the construction project.

A woman who was present near the site mentioned that the police had cordoned off access to the construction area. She shared her concern about her neighbor, who was working at the site, and stated that she had no information about his whereabouts following the incident.