New Delhi, September 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Delhi Police have arrested a labour contractor who was overseeing repair work at the basement of the Satya Niketan paying guest building that collapsed, killing seven people, while the elderly couple who owned the property have been sent to judicial custody.
The contractor, identified as Sanoj, was apprehended in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, and was being brought to Delhi for further examination, police said on Tuesday.
Initial questioning indicated that repair work was underway in the basement on the day of the collapse. Police said waste had been accumulating there for the previous eight to 10 days because of the rainy season. Repair work was also being carried out on the ground floor to extend the premises for commercial purposes.
Meanwhile, building owner Urmila, 75, and her retired husband Hariram, 81, were produced before a court, which sent them to 14 days of judicial custody. Their son Mahesh was remanded to police custody for two days.
According to police, Mahesh told investigators that he handled the building’s maintenance on behalf of his parents. The family had leased the property to PG operator ‘Hostel Daze’ in August 2025.
The five-storey building, operating as a boys’ PG, had several students staying there when it collapsed at around 1:30 pm on Sunday. Seven people were killed in the incident.
In a related development, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to demolish a dilapidated building adjoining the collapse site on grounds of public safety.
The Chief Minister’s Office said the belongings of students inside the unsafe structure were being removed systematically by Delhi Fire Service personnel and urged students and local residents to cooperate with authorities.
The demolition order follows the suspension of five civic officials responsible for monitoring illegal construction in the colony near Delhi University’s South Campus in Dhaula Kuan.
The authorities’ action comes amid scrutiny of construction and repair activities in the area following the fatal collapse.
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