New Delhi: The death toll in the collapse of a three-storey under-construction building in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazar area has risen to six, police said on Saturday, as rescue workers recovered more bodies from the rubble. Awaaz Punjab had earlier reported the toll at three on Saturday; the figure has since doubled as the search through the debris continued.

Source: IANS via Fresh Headline

All six deceased have been identified as Sanjeet Kumar, Kishori Sah, Pankaj Sharma, Vipin Ram, Shantu and Dinesh Sah, according to the latest police update issued during the rescue operation. Five of them hailed from Bihar — Sanjeet Kumar, Pankaj Sharma, Shantu and Dinesh Sah from Khagaria district and Kishori Sah from Saharsa — while Vipin Ram was a resident of Delhi's Fazilpur area, IANS reported.

Source: Dev Discourse

Owner arrested, four in custody in all

Police said the building owner, Saimullah alias Ayub, a resident of Delhi, has been arrested. Three contractors — Siraj, Tajuddin and Furkan — were arrested earlier after being apprehended from Sirohi village in Faridabad. An FIR dated November 5 has been registered against all four at Hauz Qazi police station under Sections 105, 290, 125(a) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The building collapsed on Thursday morning at Gali Sheesh Mahal, Gali Shehatara, near Ajmeri Gate in the Chawri Bazar area. Rescue work by the Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Delhi Fire Services and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was hampered by the extremely narrow lanes of the walled city, which kept heavy machinery from reaching the site and forced teams to clear debris largely by hand.

An initial MCD probe found that the owner had ignored repeated warnings about the structure and continued unauthorised construction, The Daily Jagran reported earlier. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had ordered the suspension of the junior engineer and assistant engineer concerned and a detailed inquiry after the collapse.

Source: The Daily Jagran

Rescue operations at the site were still under way on Saturday, and police said further details would follow as the debris is cleared and the investigation into the collapse proceeds.