Azad market: 5 critically injured in building collapse
New Delhi: An under-construction four-storeyed building collapsed in North Delhi's Azad market, Sheesh Mahal area on Friday morning leaving five labourers critically injured, said Delhi Police officials.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said the building may have collapsed due to overloading. "Five people have been injured in the incident as of now. Prima facie, it appears that the building collapsed due to overload. No one was staying in it," he added.
"The injured have been identified as Aziz-ur-Rehman (44), Congresh Yadav (34), Jamil (45), Amarjeet Yadav (21) and Nitesh (29), who all live nearby Sheesh Mahal Azad Market. They have been admitted to Hindu Rao Hospital. Three of them are critically injured," the DCP said.
According to the police, the incident took place at around 8 am when some labourers were working to place a roof lintel on the fourth floor of the building. The police team received a PCR call at 8:30 am and rushed to the spot. The building, situated on plot number 749, was under construction. The visuals of the scene appeared to show a completely collapsed structure with fallen bricks and steel bars covering the area. However, the locals came forward and rescued five labourers trapped under the debris. The injured were then rushed to Hindu Rao Hospital.
"An intimation was sent to the fire brigade, MCD, CAT Ambulance, DDMA, NDRF, crime team, the SDM team to find out if anyone else was trapped under the debris," an official said.
Mohammad Nadem, the brother-in-law of Rehman, who is undergoing treatment at Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, told Millennium Post that he was "going to drop his child at the school when the building collapsed". He was badly injured and doctors are currently treating him. Somehow, he managed to save his kid. He is stated to be in stable condition despite being badly injured. He runs a small business and hardly manages to earn Rs 10,000 a month.
DCP Kalsi said the owner of the building has been identified as Ajay Kumar Jain, a resident of New Delhi's Rajinder Nagar.
Meanwhile, the building was being constructed by one Mohd Muzaffir aka Honey, a builder who is a resident of Shivaji Road, Azad Market. The police have registered a case under Section 288/337/34 IPC at Bara Hindu Rao police station and efforts are being made to arrest the offenders. Prima-facie, cops denied anyone being feared trapped. However, a search operation was underway till Friday late evening and "we cannot rule out any possibility of any person being still trapped under the debris", DCP Kalsi added.
