GURUGRAM: The rescue work at Gurugram’s Chintels Paradiso condominium in Sector 109 continued on Friday morning after the ceiling of multiple floors collapsed. Police confirmed the death of two residents and said at least four people were trapped under the debris.
Rescue ops continue at the site (ANI)
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Police commissioner KK Rao said it would take at least a few more hours to clear the debris. “The rescue teams are facing a huge challenge in removing the debris. Meanwhile, we have formed teams to investigate the incident and a case will be registered against those found responsible,” he said. He added there was no clarity yet on the number of people trapped.
Officials said a man’s body was retrieved from the debris around 9.15 pm on Thursday.
Om Prakash, an inspector of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said they have identified locations where people are trapped. “A body of a woman is visible, but we are unable to pull her out as the debris are falling over and the passage gets blocked. We are not sure how many people are still trapped due to which we must be extra cautious while carrying out the rescue operation. Our canine squad played an important role in identifying the location where the people were trapped,” he said.
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The rescue team said that at least one man trapped in the debris has been spotted and was communicating with them.
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The rescue team said that at least one man trapped in the debris has been spotted and was communicating with them.
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Teams of NDRF, State Disaster Response Force, police, and fire brigade are carrying out rescue operations.
Residents said the ceiling of the dining area collapsed from the sixth to the ground floor around 5.30 pm on Thursday. Renovation work was being carried out on the seventh floor of the 18-storey tower.
RS Bhath, the district town planner, said his department will look into the legality of this building. “A team is at the spot and is supporting the police and other agencies. A probe to identify the reasons behind the collapse would be conducted by the district administration, while we will look into the legality of the structure,” he said.
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The residents were planning a protest against the developer.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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