Chawri Bazar Horror: 2 Dead as Under-Construction Building Collapses
Two people died and two were rescued after an under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Chawri Bazar. Police have filed a case against owners.
Tragedy struck the heart of Old Delhi on Thursday morning when an under-construction three-storey building collapsed in the Chawri Bazar area, leaving two people dead and two others injured. The incident, which occurred at Gali Sheesh Mahal around 9:48 am, triggered a massive emergency response as rescue teams scrambled to pull survivors from the rubble.
The Rescue Operation
Following the collapse, a joint rescue mission was launched involving the Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The teams worked urgently to clear the debris and locate those trapped inside the structure.
According to the Delhi Police, four individuals were managed to be rescued from the wreckage. However, two of them succumbed to their injuries. The deceased have been identified as 40-year-old Kishori and 45-year-old Sanjeet. The other two survivors are reported to be in stable condition and are currently out of danger.
Legal Action and Official Response
The authorities have moved quickly to hold those responsible for the construction accountable. A case is being registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against both the building owners and the contractors involved in the project.
In a swift administrative move, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered the immediate suspension of the Assistant Engineer (AE) and the Junior Engineer (JE) responsible for the area. Furthermore, she has directed that an FIR be filed against the contractor following the collapse at Gali Sitara, Sheesh Mahal, located near the Chawri Bazar Metro Station in the Chandni Chowk area.
Political Firestorm Over Safety Audits
The incident has sparked a political row in the national capital. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj lashed out at the administration, claiming that such fatal accidents have become a monthly occurrence in Delhi.
Bharadwaj raised serious allegations regarding the integrity of building safety audits. He claimed that while Chief Minister Rekha Gupta promises audits after every tragedy, officials from the MCD and Delhi Police are instead using these audits as a front to extort money from building owners.
"After every incident, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta promises building safety audits. But in the name of these audits, MCD and police officials are collecting money from building owners. Now even the Fire and Revenue Departments are involved in these extortion practices," alleged Saurabh Bharadwaj.
As of now, rescue operations continue at the site to ensure no one else remains trapped beneath the debris.