More than a day after a five-storey paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, killing seven people and leaving five others injured, police have detained the building’s owner, Hariram Gupta, from Bhiwadi near Gurugram.
The detention came after an extensive search for Gupta, who police were trying to locate following the deadly collapse on Sunday.
Police launch search for building owner
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Police issued a lookout circular (LOC) against Gupta and obtained details of his passport as part of efforts to trace him. Multiple police teams were subsequently sent out to locate him, with three to four teams carrying out raids at places where he was suspected to be staying.
Police also visited Sector 23, where Hariram Paints and Hardware, a shop owned by Gupta, had been shut for the last two days.
Local residents said Gupta had operated the hardware business in the area for around 15 years and was regarded as one of the prominent traders there. Neighbours also claimed that the Gupta family owns several houses in Sector 23 and Palam Vihar.
Five-storey PG building collapses
The decades-old building, which housed the boys’ PG accommodation Hostel Daze, came down on Sunday while repair work was being carried out. Seven people died and five others were injured in the incident.
The collapse occurred in the densely populated neighbourhood around Delhi University’s South Campus, where a large number of students live and study.
The area is surrounded by institutions including Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College. Its proximity to these colleges has made Satya Niketan and nearby areas a preferred location for students looking for paying guest accommodation.
With the building owner now detained, police are continuing their probe into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and the repair work that was underway when the structure came down.