Two Killed in Delhi Building Collapse, Police Probe Possible Construction Lapse

Two people, a 60-year-old man and his 33-year-old son, died after an under-construction building collapsed in northeast Delhi’s Milan Garden area, with rescue teams recovering their bodies during an overnight operation, officials said on Monday. The deceased were identified as Chanderpal (60) and his son Vijay Kumar (33), residents of Harsh Vihar. They were pulled from the debris and taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

The incident occurred around 6.46 pm on Sunday at A-4, Milan Garden, on Sewa Dham Road, under the Harsh Vihar police station limits. The rescue operation involved the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Delhi Fire Service, police personnel and Civil Defence volunteers.

Preliminary information indicated that the building was an old, single-storey structure, with the ground floor reportedly used as a godown. Construction was underway to add another floor when portions of the structure collapsed.

Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, who visited the site, said an initial assessment suggested that work to install a new lintel may have triggered the collapse. However, the exact cause has not been officially established, and the circumstances are under investigation.

Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba said the cramped, enclosed nature of the locality made it difficult for rescue personnel to identify the collapsed structure initially. The property is reportedly owned by Manoj Kumar. Police have initiated legal proceedings and are investigating the incident.

According to later reports, the rescue operation continued for nearly 14 hours before being called off, with emergency personnel remaining at the site as a precaution. The development followed the initial report that another person might be trapped beneath the debris.

The incident has renewed concerns over building safety and construction practices in Delhi. It comes amid other fatal building collapses in the capital, including incidents in Satya Niketan and New Seemapuri, highlighting questions about structural safety and enforcement of building regulations. Authorities are expected to establish the precise circumstances of the collapse as the investigation progresses.