4 confirmed dead in building collapse in Delhi's Seemapuri, culpable homicide case filed

Officials say nearby demolition work may have triggered it; investigators are also examining the building’s weak foundation and added floors.

A day after a five-storey building collapsed in New Seemapuri, police officials on Thursday said that a 28-hour-long search and rescue operation had ended on Thursday evening. With some body parts and remains yet to be identified, at least four deaths have been confirmed so far.

The building came down around 3.30pm on Thursday in the cramped lanes of New Seemapuri, trapping at least 11 people (Hindustan Times)

The building came down at around 3.30pm on Thursday in the cramped lanes of New Seemapuri, trapping at least 11 people, including residents and people standing nearby. Eight people were injured.

Two children and a 21-year-old pregnant woman were initially confirmed dead. While two more women’s bodies were recovered early Thursday, police revised the toll to four counting the confirmed deaths of three women and a child (aged around 3 or 4).

A police officer aware of the matter said that five body parts had been recovered from the debris on Wednesday. In a statement, deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said they will be identified through DNA examination.”

The other victims were identified as Hazra Bibi (56) and her niece Nusrat (33), as well as Gulafsa, who was four months pregnant.

Nusrat is the daughter of the building owner, Mohammad Anwar who is in his late 50s. His three-year-old grandson, wife, and son were also among the injured.

The lapses in Seemapuri building collapse.

Anwar, meanwhile, was not present in the building at the time of the collapse and is absconding, police said.

A case was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) against unknown persons at the Seemapuri police station.

A magisterial probe has also been initiated in the matter, at least two police officers privy to the probe said.

Possible Trigger for the Collapse

District magistrate (DM) of northeast Delhi, Ajay Kumar, told HT a preliminary enquiry indicated that some demolition activity in an adjacent building allegedly led to the collapse. The work was being carried out after the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD), following information received from locals, warned the building owner that the structure would be demolished if the illegally constructed portion was not removed, Kumar said.

Labourers had been working for the past three or four days with vibrating machines and allegedly triggered the collapse, he said, adding that a “magisterial inquiry is already initiated to ascertain the exact sequence and cause.”

It also emerged, investigators aware of the matter, that Anwar had allegedly been adding rooms on the top floor of the building so he could make money by renting it out. However, the foundation of the structure — just 25 square yards area — was weak and he had already added four upper floors on top of the ground-floor structure that was constructed over two decades ago.

“Prime facie, these two key factors appear to be the cause of the collapse. However, this will be confirmed once the investigation is concluded,” said a senior police officer who asked not to be named.

As per MCD, the building also developed cracks due to the earthquake that occurred two nights ago.

Multiple teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), fire department, police, among others carried out search and rescue operations on Thursday.

Cleanup of Damaged Buildings

On Thursday, the search and rescue operation concluded around 7pm, after which MCD started removing the dangerous portions of surrounding buildings that were also damaged, said a senior official from Shahdara North zone.

“After clearing the collapsed building’s debris, we will also demolish the damaged portion of other buildings. All the damaged structures visible in front will be dismantled gradually so that other surrounding buildings are not affected,” official said.