Satya Niketan Collapse: Fifth Arrest Made as Adjacent Structure is Demolished

The Delhi Police have made a fifth arrest in connection with the collapse of a five-storey building in Satya Niketan, which killed seven people on Sunday. The latest accused, Sudhanshu, was one of the operators of a paying guest (PG) accommodation housed in the structure.

During interrogation, the building owner's son, Mahesh Gupta, who was arrested earlier, told investigators that he had leased the property to Sudhanshu and his business partner Shubham Tyagi in August 2025. The duo ran the facility under the name "Hostel Daze," paying a monthly rent of Rs 1.05 lakh. While Sudhanshu is now in custody, Tyagi remains absconding.

Those arrested so far include the 81-year-old building owner Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila Gupta, their son Mahesh, labour contractor Sanoj, and now Sudhanshu. The building, nearly 50 years old, housed around 75 students in PG rooms when it came down in seconds on Sunday afternoon, also injuring six people.

Meanwhile, civic authorities have begun a calibrated, phase-wise demolition of the structure adjacent to the collapsed building after it was found to be weakened and unsafe. In response to the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered a city-wide crackdown on illegal constructions. The MCD has been directed to carry out demolition drives in several areas, with senior officials asked to remain on the ground during the operations.

The government has also ordered intensive inspections of PG accommodations and hostels across the capital. Officials have been further tasked with scrutinising building records to determine when the alleged illegal construction took place and which authority held jurisdiction over the property at the time.