Harsh Vihar collapse: Families allege delayed rescue cost 2 men their lives

At least an hour elapsed before police and the fire department were informed about Sunday's building collapse in northeast Delhi's Harsh Vihar that trapped two men under the debris, according to police officials and eyewitnesses. The two men, who had died by the time they were pulled out and taken to hospital, could have been saved if rescue operations started promptly, their families alleged.

A senior police officer part of the team investigating the case, who asked to remain anonymous, said that preliminary inquiry had established that the collapse occurred around 5.45pm and that the PCR call was made at 6:46pm, "at least an hour after" the incident.

The owner of the building, Manoj Kumar, was present at the time, the officer said, adding that said Kumar locked the gate and fled, fearing assault by locals and legal action. "At 6.46pm, the PCR call was made by the building owner's son, Khushwinder Kumar. The owner was called to open the gate," the officer said, describing the owner's actions as gross negligence.

The same time was cited in press releases issued by the Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Services (DFS) on Sunday night, as well as the police general diary entry, according to the officer quoted above.

Kumar, who is in his 60s, has been arrested.

The collapse occurred at Milan Garden on Sewa Dham Road in Harsh Vihar, an unauthorised colony. The deceased were identified as Chanderpal, 60, and his son Vijay Kumar, 33, residents of Gali No. 14 in Harsh Vihar. They had taken a contract for shuttering work at the building.

Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Rahool Alwal said the two men, who were feared trapped under the debris, were pulled out during an overnight rescue operation on Monday morning. They were taken to GTB Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

According to DFS records, the incident was reported at 6.46pm. Police, fire personnel, Civil Defence volunteers and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team joined the DFS' operation, with two ambulances and a crane deployed in addition to six fire tenders.

Pramod Sharma, who runs a restaurant opposite the building, said the collapse occurred around 4.30pm-4.45pm, when he was cooking. "Chanderpal ate at my shop around 1.30pm and went to the site. Around 4.30-4.45pm, the building collapsed. The police only came there about two hours later, and the rescue operation started after 9pm when the NDRF arrived," he said.

Another resident, Bhola, 38, alleged that the owner or someone known to him locked the gate after the collapse. When residents gathered and asked whether anyone was trapped inside, the man said no one was, Bhola said. "No one even entered the premises because it was locked. Also, the pieces of concrete were extremely heavy. No one could have lifted them," he said.

Residents who spoke to HT said they had not called the police.

The victims' family said they learnt about the incident around 6pm through an acquaintance living in Milan Garden. Vijay's wife, Anita, said their 19-year-old son, Yash, received a call from a friend who had heard about the collapse. She rushed to the site and tried calling her husband and father-in-law, but their phones were switched off.

"Locals told us that the owner had locked the gate and fled. He also told everyone that no one was trapped. It was because of him that my husband and father-in-law could not be rescued. This is not an accident, it's a murder," she alleged.

Anita said she also called the police after reaching the spot but could not recall the time. She alleged that rescue work did not begin until around 9pm, when an earthmover arrived.

A preliminary inspection suggested that the building's ground floor was an old structure, reportedly used as a godown, with a first floor constructed above it. Both portions collapsed.

"The ground-floor structure was very weak and did not have any beam. The inquiry revealed that the construction work had been underway for over a month. The lintel being installed was heavy, and the ground-floor structure could not take the load," another officer aware of the investigation said.

Police have are also looking for the main contractor - who had taken up the construction work - and is currently absconding.

The incident adds to a series of building collapses in Delhi in recent months that have raised concerns over structural safety, unauthorised construction and enforcement of building regulations.

On October 7, at least four people died when a building collapsed in New Seemapuri. Investigators suspected demolition work at an adjacent building using vibrating machinery may have triggered the collapse. On September 6, a multi-storey boys' hostel collapsed, killing seven people, including five Delhi University students and two labourers; unauthorised construction was suspected. On May 30, six people, including five doctors and engineers and an eatery owner, died when a building collapsed in south Delhi's Saidulajab, where unauthorised construction was also suspected.