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Here are the latest updates on the tragic building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area:

• The Delhi Police arrested Sudhanshu, one of the operators of the ‘Hostel Daze’ PG facility.
• A Delhi court remanded in two days’ police custody the building owner’s son, a PG operator, and a contractor.
• Three truckloads of debris were filled into the basement of the five-storey PG building during renovation work to level it with the ground floor days before its collapse, police revealed.
• The Delhi HC has sought a response from the Centre, city government and DU on a plea by the NSUI president seeking hostel facility in all the colleges of Delhi University.
• Delhi Police has directed its station house officers (SHOs) and assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) to regularly interact with students living in PG and other rented accommodations in the city, PTI reported, citing officials.

(with inputs from agencies)

Delhi building collapse LIVE: BJP MLA Anil Sharma expressed condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.

“Before responding to the allegations, I want to express my condolences to the families affected by the tragic South Delhi building collapse, in which five children and two workers lost their lives. We stand with their families,” he said.

Responding to the allegations made by AAP against the Delhi government, the MLA noted, “I would like to respond point by point to the allegations levelled today by MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Jha. I watched their entire press conference. They were holding a photograph of a building and claiming that it was a five-storey building and that the Chief Minister had ordered the demolition of all five-storey buildings. But perhaps they do not know that the building shown in the photograph has a stilt parking level, followed by the ground, first, second and third floors. I am saying this on record: they will have to apologise. Otherwise, I will file a defamation case against them.”

Delhi building collapse LIVE: A safety survey of PGs following the collapse has left students in a lurch over their stay, PTI reported.

Aditya, a student at DU’s South Campus, is among those temporarily staying in classrooms after his PG in Chirag Delhi was sealed by the MCD.

At a Laxmi Nagar PG, however, students said they have not faced any major problems with the accommodation so far.

Rahul, who has been staying at the PG for around two-and-a-half years, said he pays ₹3,500 in monthly rent and has found the facilities satisfactory.

“There is always a fear because we never know what may go wrong. This safety audit should have happened earlier, before an accident,” he said.

Another student said the inspections have raised concerns about what would happen if they were asked to vacate their PG.

(via PTI)

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The father of a B.Com student killed in the building collapse alleged on Wednesday that no official from Delhi University had contacted the family.

Abhishek Kharwar, a B.Com student, was staying in a PG accommodation in Satya Niketan, his father Santosh Kharwar said.

“Abhishek was also a student of Delhi University, but despite such a big tragedy, no responsible official from the university reached the spot or contacted us till now,” Santosh told PTI.

Three days after the incident, the Chandauli sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and a lekhpal visited the family home on Wednesday and offered condolences.

(via PTI)

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) on Wednesday held a protest march at Delhi University, demanding accountability for the building collapse.

The NSUI demanded safe and well-maintained hostels for students, enactment of a rent control law in Delhi to make accommodation affordable, ₹1 crore compensation for the victims and their families, and strict action against those responsible.

(via PTI)

Delhi building collapse LIVE: During the investigation, labour contractor Sanoj disclosed that he was engaged in renovation work in the building by Mahesh Gupta around 10 days ago. The work was to level the basement with the ground floor, Delhi police said.

Sanoj Kumar was apprehended from Kasganj, UP, and brought back. He was arrested in the case and examined in detail, police said.

“Around 3 trucks of material were filled in the basement. He was being paid ₹2800 per day by Mahesh for the work. There was one wall that was obstructing the space for a shop on the ground floor. On the day of the incident, they removed the said wall to create space. The building could not take the load and ultimately collapsed,” police added.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The PG operator Shudhanshu disclosed during examination that he completed his graduation from Delhi University in the year 2019, police said.

Since 2022, he, along with his friend Shubham Tyagi, started operating PG accommodations in the Satya Niketan area under the name and style of “Hostel Daze”. Presently, he is running seven PGs in the vicinity.

Four floors of the said building were taken on lease by him and Shubham in August 2025, in lieu of ₹1,05,000 per month. They took the building on rent at lower rates due to its dilapidated condition. He remained ignorant of the construction work going on despite knowing that it could affect the building as a whole, the police said.

Further investigation is underway.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: At a press conference, AAP leader Anurag Dhanda said, “We are holding this press conference on an important issue. With me are Sanjeev ji and Kuldeep ji. There is constant discussion in Delhi these days about how PG accommodations are being constructed illegally with the connivance of the MCD and government departments, and how these are being misused, resulting in the deaths of several children in the recent incident.”

“After that, the government is trying to show that everything can be fixed by carrying out bulldozing and demolishing some buildings as a mere formality. Today, we are going to expose the entire PG nexus and the illegal PG racket. When the PG building collapsed, you all must have heard people’s accounts through various media outlets. Everyone was taking the same name,” the leader added.

He alleged, “Everyone was saying that the local MLA, Anil Sharma, was running an entire PG racket. They were also saying that the nearby PGs had his protection and that getting them a clean chit from the MCD and other government departments was Anil Sharma’s job. These are allegations made by local residents; we are not making these claims ourselves.”

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Court sent building owner’s son, PG operator and contractor to police custody for two days.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Delhi police have sought three-day custody of accused Mahesh Gupta, contractor Sanoj, and PG Operator Sudhanshu.

Mahesh was produced after two days of custody. Sanoj and Sudhanshu were produced after their fresh arrest. The court will pronounce the order shortly.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Delhi police have directed the SHOs and ACPs to regularly interact with students living in PG and other rented accommodations in the city and address their concerns, PTI reported, citing officials.

The police have been asked to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) by September 20, the officials said. The outreach will focus on security and safety concerns, local crime-related issues, harassment, women’s safety, and accommodation.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Counsel for the petitioner in the building collapse incident, Advocate Vimal Tyagi, told news agency ANI, “Today we have filed a PIL before the Chief Justice’s bench. The direction we sought was that in each college, there must be a hostel… A PIL has been filed. Now the Chief Justice’s bench has issued a notice to the University of Delhi, the Union of India, and the state government…”

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Central and city governments on a plea by the NSUI president seeking hostel facilities in all Delhi University colleges.

The PIL raised the issue of an ‘acute and long-standing shortage of affordable and adequate institutional hostel accommodation for students studying in the Delhi University’, according to PTI.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notice to the Central government, Delhi government and DU and asked them to file their replies to the petition.

The court listed the petition for September 25.

(via PTI)

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Three accused in the Satya Niketan tragedy were taken to be produced before court.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The five-storey structure was being operated as a PG by business partners Sudhanshu and Shubham Tyagi. According to the rent agreement, the two had taken the property on lease in August 2025. Both operators are originally from Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The baseline report said, “Rental housing has received little attention in Indian housing policy,” and noted that the issue was particularly important for Delhi because migrants come to the city for employment, healthcare and education.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The MPD-2047 baseline report identified co-living, dormitories, paying guest accommodation and senior-living facilities as emerging housing formats. It also suggested studying diverse short-term housing, including rental and transit accommodation, as a separate land-use category.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: MCD crackdown underway at a PG in Laxmi Nagar area of Delhi after CM Rekha Gupta directed the municipal body to use bulldozers against illegal structures.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The baseline report prepared for MPD-2047 had already identified a major gap between housing demand and supply. It said Delhi’s formal housing system had failed to keep pace with urbanisation and highlighted the need for newer forms of accommodation.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: The proposed PG regulation framework is expected to include zone-wise rent bands, structural and fire safety audits, and a central portal listing PG accommodations.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Delhi urban development minister Ashish Sood said work on a PG policy was already underway and would now be expedited. The proposed Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026, is expected to make licences mandatory for PG operators.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: A severe shortage of hostel accommodation at Delhi’s higher education institutions has pushed thousands of students towards private PGs and other rental housing options, increasing pressure on the city’s loosely regulated accommodation sector.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: Under MPD-2021, PG accommodation was added in August 2016 under “other activities” in the mixed-land-use chapter. It was allowed on residential plots abutting roads that met specified right-of-way requirements for mixed-use streets.

Delhi building collapse LIVE: An MCD official said PGs initially operated as residential arrangements, with homeowners renting out part of their properties. Many have now evolved into full-fledged commercial operations, including branded chains.