New Delhi: Delhi Police have formed 10 separate teams to track down Hariram, owner of the building that collapsed in Satya Niketan, claiming six lives, and is currently untraceable, police said.
The teams comprise local district police, Special Staff, and other operational units. Each team is being led by an officer of the Additional DCP rank. Police are conducting raids across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to apprehend Hariram. Delhi Police has also issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him.
The owner has a residence in Gurugram, Haryana, but is currently untraceable. An FIR has been registered against the building’s owner.
Meanwhile, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has called a high-level meeting on the collapse, to be held later this afternoon. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is expected to attend, along with senior officials from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Delhi Police. The LG is likely to take several major decisions during the meeting.
The Delhi High Court is set to hear the matter concerning the tragic building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area after it was urgently mentioned before the Chief Justice on Monday.
The collapse has also triggered evacuations in the surrounding area.
Vishal, a student living in a nearby hostel, said that after the building came down, concerns grew that adjoining structures could also collapse, prompting authorities to evacuate all buildings in the vicinity, including a nearby girls’ hostel.
“This was done simply because cracks had appeared in them as well. Colleges had opened up their facilities for accommodation, and food was available too. Most students living in hostels have gone to stay with either relatives or friends, ” he said.
The Delhi government has issued directives to immediately seal illegal five-storey buildings across the city.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), this comes as part of a wider safety crackdown following the building collapse.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta revisited the collapse site this morning to review safety measures and the ongoing operations.
An FIR has been registered against the building’s owner, and strict action will be taken against any MCD officials found responsible for lapses, the CMO said.
The government has also ordered intensive inspections of nearby paying-guest (PG) accommodations and other buildings in the area, with sealing to follow wherever violations are found.
The CM said that there would be no compromise on the safety of Delhi’s residents, and that no one would be spared in cases of negligence.
The administration has installed iron jacks to support buildings near the site of the building collapse. (ANI)
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