Five dead in Delhi hostel building collapse; owner arrested

At least five people lost their lives when a five-storey accommodation building in Delhi caved in, authorities said. The structure, which operated as Hostel Daze, came down suddenly, trapping residents and sparking emergency rescue operations across the site.

Police have filed a first information report (FIR) against Hariram Bansal, identified as the building's owner and operator of the hostel. Preliminary investigations suggest that repair work was underway in the basement at the time of the collapse, potentially compromising the structure's integrity.

Local residents told authorities that the building suffered from a weak foundation, with water regularly seeping into the basement area. Such structural vulnerabilities may have contributed to the catastrophic failure, officials said, though a detailed engineering assessment is underway.

The collapse has renewed concerns about building safety standards and the regulation of residential accommodation facilities in the capital. Rescue teams completed extensive search operations at the site, where the recovery effort has concluded.