Politics · India Bureau
Delhi hostel collapse kills three students; Congress demands accountability
A five-storey residential building housing a boys' hostel collapsed in southwest Delhi on Sunday, killing at least three students and leaving others trapped beneath the debris. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Congress party, which has labeled it an avoidable tragedy and called for urgent action on building safety standards.
LSN India ·
The building, located in a congested bylane in the Satya Niketan area near Delhi University's South Campus, came down in the afternoon, prompting large-scale rescue operations. Emergency responders worked to extract survivors from the rubble as rescue teams deployed at the site.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge characterized the collapse as a deeply distressing and preventable disaster, emphasizing that every effort must be made to rescue those trapped and provide comprehensive medical care to the injured. "We stand firmly with the affected families in this difficult hour," Kharge said in a statement.
Party leader Rahul Gandhi stressed that student safety is paramount and must be safeguarded under all circumstances. The Congress leadership noted that party workers and NSUI volunteers were already providing assistance to affected students, victims, and their families on the ground.
The incident has reignited concerns about building safety standards and structural integrity in congested residential areas of the capital. The collapse comes amid ongoing discussions about the need for stricter enforcement of construction regulations and regular safety audits of older residential structures housing students and other vulnerable populations.