Relying on rescued student to build case against PG operators in Delhi’s Satyaniketan: Police

Delhi police have identified a surviving tenant as a key witness in the case against the operators of a five‑storey paying‑guest (PG) accommodation that collapsed in South West Delhi’s Satyaniketan neighbourhood, resulting in seven fatalities. The student, 19‑year‑old Nitish Chib, was rescued from room 202 after the structure fell on Sunday and is now providing statements that could form the basis of charges against the PG’s managers, Sudhanshu Lovneesh and Subham Tyagi.

The collapse claimed the lives of seven occupants, including five of Chib’s fellow tenants. Police records show that construction work had been underway in the building’s basement for 10‑12 days prior to the incident, and that Chib and other residents had complained about noise and the cutting of iron rods. Lease documents reveal that Lovneesh and Tyagi each held portions of the property: Lovneesh leased the ground and first floors, while Tyagi leased the second and third floors. Both were arrested, with Tyagi surrendering later and placed in police custody. The building’s owner, Hariram, his wife Urmila, son Mahesh, and labour contractor Saroj were also detained after it emerged that the structure had three extra floors beyond the authorized two, and that basement work—purportedly to fix seepage—further weakened the edifice.

Authorities contend that the operators were not passive observers but actively facilitated the illegal construction, even threatening tenants who objected. A plumber’s warning hours before the collapse about potential wall failure was reportedly ignored. The case underscores broader concerns about unregulated student housing and illegal building extensions in Delhi, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of construction norms to safeguard vulnerable occupants.