New Delhi, Sept 10 : A wall on the ground floor of a five-storey paying guest (PG) building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan was removed to make space for a shop shortly before the structure collapsed, police said, as investigators continued probing possible construction and maintenance lapses.
According to police, repair work had been underway in the basement for eight to 10 days after rainwater and waste accumulated there. Around three truckloads of debris were reportedly dumped in the basement to raise its level to that of the ground floor.
Labour contractor Sanoj Kumar, who was allegedly engaged for the repair work by Mahesh, son of building owner Hariram Gupta, around 10 days before the incident, was arrested from Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh. Police said Kumar was being paid Rs 2,800 per day.
Investigators said that on the day of the collapse, a ground-floor wall obstructing the proposed shop space was removed. Police suspect the building could not withstand the additional load after the wall was taken out and subsequently collapsed.
Repair and extension work was also reportedly being carried out on the ground floor for alleged commercial use.
Police have also arrested PG operator Sudhanshu Lovneesh, who was running the accommodation with his associate Shubham Tyagi. The duo had taken four floors of the building on lease in August 2025 for Rs 1.05 lakh per month, despite its reportedly dilapidated condition.
The building owner and his wife were earlier sent to judicial custody, while their son Mahesh was remanded in police custody. Mahesh allegedly told investigators that he was responsible for maintaining the property on behalf of his parents.
Police said the building was around 40-50 years old and additional floors had allegedly been constructed to generate rental income. The role of MCD officials is also under investigation.
The collapse, which occurred around 1 pm on Sunday, killed seven people, including five students and two labourers, while five others were injured.
Police are continuing to investigate the building’s condition, renovation work, PG operations and possible lapses by civic authorities.
