Trapped student's SOS video call shows him under collapsed Delhi PG hostel

Dust covers his face. Blood stains are visible. Around him are chunks of concrete and twisted debris. Yet, trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed PG building in south Delhi's Satya Niketan, a student remains conscious enough to pick up his phone and make an SOS video call.The 11-second video, shared on X by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress's student wing, offers a chilling glimpse of the ordeal faced by those trapped inside the building. Six people have died so far.In the video, the student is seen lying beneath the debris, surrounded by pieces of concrete. He slowly moves the camera around, showing the cramped and dangerous space he is trapped in, apparently trying to alert a friend and seek help.Around 40 to 50 students are believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed around 1:30 pm on Sunday. Identified as Hostel Daze, the 50-year-old structure was being used as PG accommodation. The 50-year-old building, housing a boys' PG, collapsed around 1:30 pm on Sunday while repair work was being carried out on the ground floor. Police said the building was being used as a PG and renovation work was underway on the ground floor when it collapsed.Locals, however, claimed that water had accumulated in the basement after days of rain, possibly weakening the foundation. Police filed an FIR against owner Hariram and others on charges including culpable homicide, negligence in maintaining a structure and endangering public safety. Eleven people have so far been rescued, while around 30-50 students remained trapped under the rubble as search and rescue operations continue at the site. Ten injured people were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, the hospital said.'STUDENTS MAKING PHONE CALLS FROM RUBBLE'BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who visited the collapse site, said rescue teams were still receiving calls from people trapped inside."We are even getting calls from those who are trapped inside. Teams are continuously in touch with those who are trapped inside; we pray to God that all people are safe," he said on Sunday.Some of those trapped made phone calls from beneath the rubble seeking help, locals said.Rescue teams continued their operations while locals also joined the frantic efforts, using their bare hands and whatever tools they could find to clear the debris.The collapsed building, known as Hostel Daze, stood in the congested colony near Delhi University's South Campus, an area packed with student PGs, eateries and shops.A senior MCD official said the structure was around 50 years old and stood on a 55-square-yard plot in a resettlement colony. It was a G+4 structure, despite the original permission being only for a G+1 building, the official said.A local, Rajen Chhetri, who works with the Delhi Police, said the building had around 15 rooms, with two to three students staying in each room. He said repair or construction work was under way in the basement."Most of the students staying here are from Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study mainly at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College. They were paying around Rs 12,000 per bed," Chhetri said.Following the collapse, the MCD ordered the immediate sealing of illegal constructions exceeding four floors. An adjoining building housing a women's PG was also evacuated and sealed as a precautionary measure.Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the collapse site and ordered a magisterial inquiry. Police filed an FIR against owner Hariram and others on charges including culpable homicide, negligence in maintaining a structure and endangering public safety.- Ends(with inputs from PTI)Published By: Prateek ChakrabortyPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 08:12 IST