Three contractors nabbed after tragic Delhi building collapse

At around 9:48 a.m. on Thursday, a three‑storey building under construction in the bustling Chawri Bazar area of Old Delhi suddenly collapsed, sending dust and debris crashing onto the street below. The scene turned chaotic within minutes as by‑standers shouted for help and emergency crews rushed in.

Rescue teams from the Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi worked side‑by‑side, pulling survivors from the rubble and shoring up the unstable remains. Two labourers, identified as 40‑year‑old Kishori and 45‑year‑old Sanjeet, were found dead after rescuers reached them. Two younger men, 25‑year‑old Sahdev Chaudhary and 37‑year‑old Firoz, survived with injuries and were taken to hospital, where they are reported to be stable.

In the aftermath, investigators traced the culpability to three contractors – Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan – who hail from the Ajmeri Gate neighbourhood but were apprehended in the village of Sirohi, Faridabad. All three were taken into custody on charges under section 105 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood visited the site later that day, inspecting the rescue operation and vowing a thorough probe into safety lapses. The incident has reignited public outcry over shoddy construction practices in the capital and prompted calls for stricter oversight.

Police say the case remains under active investigation, and further arrests could follow if more violations are uncovered. Meanwhile, families of the victims are left grappling with grief, and the neighbourhood tries to piece together a sense of normalcy after the shocking collapse.