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Rekha Gupta confirms death toll reaches seven following collapse of five-story boys' hostel in New Delhi

Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Chief Minister, confirmed that the death toll from a building collapse in New Delhi's Satya Niketan neighborhood reached seven after rescue teams recovered an additional body from the rubble on Monday. The five-story structure, which housed a boys' hostel, collapsed on Sunday in a densely populated area popular with Delhi University students. Rescue crews, including police, firefighters, and disaster response teams, utilized heavy machinery and sniffer dogs to clear debris and locate trapped individuals. At least 12 people were rescued from the site, while several others were reported to be trapped under the rubble. Rekha Gupta stated that the collapse was likely caused by water accumulation in the basement and ongoing repair work on the aging building, which was at least 55 years old. The administration will draft a policy requiring periodic structural audits and safety certificates for public buildings. Following the visit, police arrested the building owner and filed a case against him for negligence. The building was under renovation for months before reopening to students in August. Residents noted that deep cracks appeared on the walls and ceiling of the adjoining building just moments before the collapse.

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