Delhi collapse: Hostel operator paid Rs 1 lakh lease a month, ran 7 facilities

The Delhi Police confirmed that the hostel building in Satya Niketan, which housed student accommodations, collapsed on Sunday afternoon, killing several occupants. The leaseholder, identified as Sudhanshu, was taken into custody on Wednesday, while the contractor Sanoj from Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly continuing construction despite knowing the building was structurally weak. The owners—Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila Gupta, and their son Mahesh Gupta—were detained on Monday as part of the investigation.

According to police records, the operator had secured the property on a lease of Rs 1 lakh per month in August 2023 and was running seven similar facilities under the name Hostel Daze. The collapsed hostel comprised eight rooms with a total of 16 beds spread across four floors. At the time of the incident, repair work was ongoing in the basement to address waterlogging and seepage, and a ground‑floor shop was being extended, activities that police say may have compromised the building’s support. The FIR notes that the owners were aware the foundation could not sustain the added weight yet proceeded with the construction to generate income.

The building, described as several years old, had reportedly seen illegal addition of floors prior to the collapse. The tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of student housing in Delhi, especially in privately managed hostels operating without adequate oversight. Families of the victims and local residents are demanding stricter enforcement of building codes, while authorities have registered charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent construction conduct, and acts endangering life.