A Delhi court has sent PG owner Hariram Gupta and his wife Urmila Gupta to 14 days of judicial custody while their son Mahesh Gupta has been remanded to two days of police custody in connection with the deadly Satya Niketan PG collapse. The five storey boys paying guest accommodation in Delhi Satya Niketan collapsed on September 6, killing seven people and injuring five others. The building was reportedly undergoing repair and basement related work when it collapsed.
Police arrested the three family members in Bhiwadi Rajasthan. According to police the property was registered in Urmila Gupta name the electricity connection was in Hariram name, while their son Mahesh was allegedly involved in managing the PG. Investigators are examining whether unauthorised construction, renovation work and structural safety violations contributed to the collapse. Reports have also raised questions over additional floors being constructed despite concerns about the building load bearing capacity.
The tragedy has also triggered wider scrutiny of safety standards in Delhi PG accommodations. The Delhi High Court has sought a high level inquiry, while authorities are considering structural audits of buildings in major PG hubs.
