Five persons have died and eight were injured in a building collapse in west Delhi as SDMC suspended three officials for lapse of duty, even as it engaged in a blame game with the AAP government, which ordered a probe into the incident.
The body of a nine-year-old girl, identified as Aakanksha, was pulled out of the debris this afternoon while 50-year-old Om Prakash succumbed to his injuries following the collapse of the four-storey building last night in Vishnu Garden area of west Delhi that falls under West Zone of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).
Three other deceased have been identified as Sadma (20), Beena (15) and Sarbati (33), while eight persons were injured in the incident, according to district administration.
While two of them have suffered minor injuries, six have been injured seriously, and four of them have been referred to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for further treatment, it said in statement.
The eight injured have been identified as Ravi (30), Madan (3), Aman (12), Shyamlal (50), Pooja (15), Brijlal (65), Prem Babu (51) and Hemant (19), police said.
"No one else is fear trapped in the debris now but the operation to clear the debris is still going on," a senior police officer said.
Delhi government, which has ordered an inquiry into the incident, accused the BJP-led SDMC of failing to ensure compliance with safety standards, charges denied by the civic body.
"People have told me that there was construction going on and the entire building has collapsed on one side," Delhi PWD Minister Satyendera Jain claimed.
"Whatever construction work was going on, MCD had full responsibility to stop it, which they should have done... The government has ordered an investigation, to be done by the DM of the area, and the report will be submitted within seven days," he said, adding, "strict action will be taken against the culprits".
