Delhi: Several feared trapped after building in Seemapuri collapses weeks after Satya Niketan tragedy

A four-storey building in Delhi's Seemapuri area collapsed on Wednesday (some reports say it had five storeys), with several feared trapped under the debris.

This has spread panic in the area, and comes just weeks after the deadly tragedy in Delhi's Satya Niketan that killed seven students, and left several others injured.

"At present, two to three people can still be seen inside, and they are also communicating with us," Shahdara DCP Rajendra Prasad Meena told PTI, adding that 5-6 people had been taken to the hopsital.

Two children have been pulled out from under the debris so far, with the rest of the injured taken in ambulances to the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for treatment.

Rescue and relief operations are underway, with purported visuals of the incident on social media showing people assisting in the rescue operations as well.

"A multi-storey building has collapsed in Seemapuri and rescue teams are working at the site. Traffic is affected around Seemapuri Gol Chakkar, DLF Bhopura and adjoining roads," the Delhi Police wrote in an X post, urging people to keep those roads clear for rescue teams to be able to help the affected.

PTI had reported that the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) had received a call about the building collapse at around 3:30 PM, after which it rushed four fire tenders to the spot. Initial reports say that it was a residential building near a fish market.

The Seemapuri incident is expected to bring heavy backlash for the Delhi government, which had rushed to inspect student accommodations across the capital city after the Satya Niketan tragedy, and demolish as many as 62 buildings that violated structural safety norms.

The decades-old Satya Niketan building had a chronic water seepage problem in its basement, which was being repaired at the time when it gave way and collapsed.

“Scrutinise building records ... determine exactly when the illegal construction took place and under whose jurisdiction,” Gupta had directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) at the time.