Two kids were hurt when a portion of a wall from an under-construction building collapsed in Jogabai Extension, Batla House, on Wednesday night following a dust storm that brought heavy rain and hail, according to residents. BY Mohd Haseeb.
The two kids hurt were rushed to a trauma centre, where they are currently undergoing treatment, said a resident familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Two kids hurt: One critical
Former Congress Councillor Shoaib Danish told the OT over the phone that in the tragic incident, two hurt kids who were passing by the building when it was raining on Wednesday were injured when a section of the wall collapsed on them.
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“I met the family of the two kids hurt in Wednesday incident today. I was informed that the two kids hurt are in the hospital and one of them is in critical condition. We are all praying for his quick recovery,” he said.
The children’s father is a daily wage laborer and part-time electrician who lives near the building, just a few metres from the Mustafa Mosque.
Residents in shock over two kids hurt in incident
Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the building is under a stay order and is part of an ongoing dispute. In a video circulating locally, people can be seen rushing to rescue the children after they were found trapped under the debris. Residents also mentioned that the building had been in a fragile state during previous municipal interventions.
Based on information collected from local residents, it is understood that four people were actually injured in the incident, with two returning home after sustaining no life-threatening injuries.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock. Some residents noted that if a large pillar had collapsed in a different direction, it could have resulted in hundreds of casualties in the densely populated neighborhood. The site has now been cordoned off by the police, with officers from Jamia Nagar Police Station present, though residents voiced frustration at the lack of swift response from municipal authorities or elected representatives.
Leaders absence questioned
Many residents expressed deep anger and questioned the responsibilities of local officials and leaders also. One resident criticised the civic agency for leaving “damaged” buildings unattended and for not enforcing safety measures during partial demolitions. This, they said, is not an isolated case — residents recalled another recent incident in Okhla, where a building being demolished by the civic body collapsed onto a neighboring building, which had been locked from the outside.
When the OT reporter reached the area in the morning, residents were tight-lipped but, in whispers, expressed dismay that the weak building might collapse at any time and suggested immediate action to fix the issue to prevent any untoward incident due to rain and thunderstorms.
Concerned residents off the camera were talking about safety issues.
This tragic incident underscores deep systemic issues related to infrastructure oversight, administrative accountability, and political responsiveness in some of Delhi’s most vulnerable urban areas. Without urgent intervention, more lives may be at risk.
Across Delhi-NCR, the hailstorm accompanied by heavy rain and thunder caused two deaths and left 11 others injured in separate rain-related incidents. Meanwhile, there were widespread reports of fallen trees, waterlogging, and traffic jams across many areas after the city endured a hot and humid day.
Flight operations at Delhi airport were significantly affected, with at least 13 flights diverted due to the severe weather. Metro passengers on the Yellow Line were also stranded for hours.
According to PTI, citing sources, 12 of the diverted flights were rerouted to Jaipur, and one international flight was diverted to Mumbai.
IndiGo posted on X, stating: “Our flight schedules are currently impacted due to the heavy rains and thunderstorm sweeping across Delhi, Chandigarh, and Kolkata.”
Air India also took to X, saying rain and thunderstorms may disrupt flights to and from Delhi on Wednesday evening.
SpiceJet posted: “Due to bad weather (thunderstorm with heavy rain) in Delhi (DEL), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected. Additionally, traffic movement to the airport might be affected due to heavy rains.”
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates IGIA in the national capital, said in a post on X: “Due to inclement weather conditions and thunderstorms in Delhi, flight operations may get impacted at Delhi Airport. Our on-ground teams are diligently working with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience.”
