3 workers killed in building collapse in Delhi’s Daryaganj; ‘Who will feed his kids?’, asks victim’s kin

Police said they received a call about the incident around noon. Fire tenders and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were dispatched to the spot, and the bodies were pulled out from the debris.

“About 10-12 workers were working at the site. Everyone was rescued apart from the three deceased,” said an NDRF personnel.

Police said prima facie, the building’s wall was structurally weak as it was old, and this may have led to the collapse. “Further investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause,” said police.

The DCP said a case under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the BNS has been registered against the building owners and building contractors.

At the site, three to four buildings — packed within metres of each other — were attached to Sadhnavna Park’s boundary wall. The park was inaugurated by Delhi L-G V K Saxena and CM Rekha Gupta in June.

The entire rear section of the building in the middle had collapsed. Earthmovers were seen clearing the debris.

Meanwhile, families of the victims gathered at the Emergency ward of Lok Nayak Hospital, where the bodies were taken.

Jubbair leaves behind his wife, who is seven months pregnant. Despite having a BA degree, he came to the Capital from his home in Bihar’s Madhepura to work as a labourer — a job he had never done before.

His father-in-law said, “My daughter is pregnant. That’s why Jubbair took up the job.”

Tofir’s aunt, Mehrun Khatun, who was in the city to visit relatives, said, “He has four children, two girls and two boys. One of the girls is just a year old. Who will feed his children? How will they get an education?”

Tofir and Jubbair, relatives said, had left Madhepura in July after an offer came from a contractor to redevelop a building in Daryaganj. For the past week, they had been working on the building, at a meagre Rs 700 per month.

Tofir’s cousin, Irshad, 18, said, “Kaam bohot tha, toh unhone mujhe bhi bula liya (There was a lot of work, so they called me too).” He had come to Delhi a week ago and was staying in a cramped room in the Kamla Market area.

“Today morning, Tofir told me I could come to work around 12.30 pm. 12 baje mujhe call aaya ki vo nahi rahe (Around 12, I got a call that he was no more),” Irshad said.

Mohammad Zabar, 35, a worker from the Arrah area of Bihar, said he was on the opposite side of the second floor when the collapse occurred.
“I was working on the other side when, suddenly, the section across from me gave way. Toqir and Jubair fell, and a third man ran to grab their hands. Lekin sariya hil gaya tha (But the support beams shook). He also lost his balance and fell,” said Zabar, who was staying on the ground floor of the building temporarily.

Several cases of building collapses have been reported in the Capital over the past two months. Last week, seven people were killed when the ceiling and a wall of a dargah near Humayun’s Tomb complex in Delhi collapsed.