NEW DELHI / At least six people have died after a multi-storey building used as student accommodation collapsed near Delhi University’s South Campus, triggering a large-scale rescue operation as emergency crews continued searching through tonnes of concrete and debris for possible survivors.

The building came down on Sunday, September 6, in Satya Niketan, a densely populated student neighborhood in southwest New Delhi known for its private hostels and paying-guest accommodations.

The structure, reportedly operating as a boys’ PG accommodation known as Hostel Daze, included a basement and five upper floors. Authorities and local residents initially feared that dozens of people, many of them students, could have been inside when the building suddenly collapsed.

By early Monday, the confirmed death toll had risen to six, while at least 11 people had been rescued, according to the latest reports. Search operations continued overnight amid concerns that additional people could still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police and other emergency agencies were deployed to the scene. Rescuers used excavators, specialized equipment and manual tools to remove broken concrete slabs and twisted metal while attempting to avoid further collapse of the remaining structure.

Some people believed to be trapped reportedly managed to contact relatives or rescuers by mobile phone during the early stages of the operation, adding urgency to efforts to reach areas where survivors might still be located.

The exact number of people who were inside the building at the time of the collapse remains unclear. Early estimates from local residents suggested that between 30 and 50 people could have been trapped, although authorities have not confirmed those figures.

Questions Over Basement Work and Building Safety

Investigators are examining whether construction or repair work being carried out in the basement contributed to the disaster.

Preliminary reports indicate that work had been underway in the lower portion of the building before the collapse. Officials are also investigating possible water accumulation, structural weakness and whether modifications to the property complied with building regulations.

The building was reportedly several decades old and had been converted into student accommodation in an area where large numbers of Delhi University students live in privately operated hostels and PG facilities.

The tragedy has renewed concerns over unauthorized construction, structural alterations and safety enforcement in student housing around the university.

As a precaution, authorities evacuated and secured at least one neighboring accommodation building while engineers assessed whether nearby structures faced any immediate danger.

Chief Minister Orders Investigation

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the disaster site and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collapse.

Her office also directed police to register a case against the building owner as investigators attempt to determine whether negligence, unauthorized construction or unsafe renovation work played a role in the tragedy.

Gupta said all available emergency agencies had been mobilized and that the immediate priority was rescuing anyone still trapped and ensuring proper medical treatment for survivors.

India’s senior political leaders also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said authorities were closely monitoring the rescue operation.

Student Safety Under Scrutiny

The collapse has sparked anger and concern among student organizations, which are demanding accountability and stronger inspections of privately operated student residences around Delhi University.

The disaster has also raised broader questions about whether aging residential properties converted into high-capacity hostels and paying-guest facilities are being adequately inspected for structural safety.

Satya Niketan has evolved into one of the major residential hubs for students attending Delhi University’s South Campus and nearby colleges. Many relatively small residential properties in the neighborhood have been converted over the years into multi-storey PG accommodations to meet growing demand for student housing.

For families waiting for information about missing students, however, the immediate focus remains on the rescue operation.

Emergency crews continued working through the night, carefully removing debris while searching for signs of life.

Authorities said the final casualty figures and the exact cause of the collapse will only become clear once the rescue operation is completed and structural investigators gain full access to the site.

The death toll remains provisional and could change as search-and-rescue operations continue.