Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Owner Hariram Bansal Apprehended in Rajasthan
The death toll in the Delhi Satya Niketan building collapse rose to seven as rescue operations continue. The absconding owner, Hariram Bansal, was arrested in Rajasthan, multiple MCD officials were suspended, and authorities ordered mandatory structural audits for all PGs. Scroll below to know more.
Hariram Bansal, the owner of the building that collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan, has been apprehended from Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. This comes as the death toll in the tragic building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area has climbed to seven as rescue operations continue, prompting swift administrative action and the suspension of multiple municipal officials.
Arrest and Ongoing Rescue Operations
Hariram Bansal was apprehended from Rjasthan's Bhiwadi following a multi-state manhunt involving ten specialised police teams. Delhi Police had earlier issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him after he went underground. Satya Niketan Tragedy: Delhi Police Forms 10 Teams To Nab Building Owner Hariram Bansal.
Owner of Building That Collapsed in Satya Niketan Apprehended
Delhi's Satya Niketan building collapse | The alleged owner of the building, Hariram, has been apprehended in Bhiwadi. Further examination is ongoing: Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/4j08MgZ7St
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2026
The death toll in the collapse has risen to seven, with 12 individuals rescued so far as emergency operations remain ongoing at the site. MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar addressed the situation, stating, "Unfortunately, we have lost seven lives. We think the building next to the collapsed building has weakened, and it was strengthened through the night. We will take it up for demolition in a calibrated manner in the next 1-2 days."
Khirwar added, "In August, we had passed demolition orders for 3-4 buildings in the same area. A regular identification is conducted. In the last three months, 960 demolitions were carried out, 407 buildings were sealed, and notices were served to 1500 buildings for sealing and demolition. This is a regular process to take action against unauthorized construction."
Municipal Crackdown and Political Demands
In the wake of the disaster, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) suspended several officials on Monday, including the Deputy Commissioner South Zone, Executive Engineer-South Zone, Superintendent Engineer-South Zone, Assistant Engineer-Zone, and a Junior Engineer. The incident has also drawn attention to student housing safety. Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent intervention.
"I therefore urge the Union Government to announce an emergency, ring-fenced financial allocation for the construction of public hostels for students of the University of Delhi. This should form part of a time-bound student-housing programme covering both the North and South Campuses and the University's geographically dispersed colleges. Public land available with the Union Government, the University and its agencies should be identified for hostel construction, with transparent deadlines and publicly accessible progress reports," he wrote. Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Inspects Site, Says ‘Accountability Will Be Fixed’.
Additionally, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced a new policy mandating comprehensive structural audits for all buildings utilized for public purposes, including paying guest (PG) accommodations across the capital.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2026 02:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
