Delhi Satya Niketan Building Collapse: 10 Police Teams Hunt Fugitive Owner Hariram

Delhi Police have intensified their search for absconding building owner Hariram following the collapse of a five-storey building in Satya Niketan that killed six people. Ten separate teams have been formed to track him down, and a Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against him amid fears he may try to flee the country.

Police raid three states in hunt for fugitive owner

Police have constituted 10 separate teams to nab accused owner Hariram, each led by an officer of Additional DCP rank or above. Teams are conducting raids across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh at his suspected hideouts. One such location was traced to Gurugram, where the property was found locked. Police have registered a case against the accused owner under non-bailable sections.

Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister take action, High Court also acts

The Delhi government and administration have taken a tough stance following the incident. Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has taken cognisance of the matter and called an emergency meeting in the afternoon, to be attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta along with top officials of the DDA, MCD and Delhi Police. Separately, the matter was raised before the Delhi High Court Chief Justice, and an urgent hearing is set to take place. The Chief Minister's office has made clear that negligent MCD officials found responsible for the accident will also face strict action.

Order issued to seal illegal five-storey buildings across Delhi

After revisiting the accident site, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta issued a stern message that no compromise on public safety would be tolerated. The Delhi government has issued strict directions for the immediate sealing of all such illegal five-storey buildings across the city. Inspections have also begun of PG accommodations and other buildings in Satya Niketan and surrounding areas. Wherever safety norm violations are found during inspection, those buildings will be sealed immediately.

Fear grips students, nearby hostels evacuated

The accident was severe enough to cause cracks in the walls of nearby houses. As a safety measure, the administration has evacuated a nearby girls' hostel along with other houses. A student living close by, Vishal, said that after the building collapsed there was a risk of other structures collapsing too, following which authorities decided to evacuate immediately. Most students are currently forced to stay with friends or relatives. The administration has installed heavy iron jacks to support the remaining buildings, and local colleges have arranged accommodation and food for students left without shelter.