Cinema VinesBollywood actor Sonu Sood has voiced his grief and called for action after a building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, a residential complex near Delhi University’s South Campus, claimed the lives of seven students. The tragedy, which unfolded on Sunday at around 1:30 pm while repair work was underway in the basement, left the structure—comprising a basement and five floors—shattered, prompting rescue teams to conduct search operations for two consecutive days.
In a post on his X account, Sood highlighted the stark shortage of safe accommodation for the city’s large student population. He noted that Delhi hosts roughly 700,000 enrolled students, yet only about 30,000 hostel spaces exist, meaning just one in 31 students can secure on‑campus housing. He urged the government to identify vacant government land near universities and construct affordable, secure hostels, while also granting universities additional building permissions to expand on‑campus accommodation. “Students get safety. Parents get peace of mind. Universities and governments generate revenue. And, most importantly, we protect lives,” he wrote.
The lack of affordable on‑campus housing has driven a surge in private Paying Guest (PG) accommodations across the capital, with many students from all over India seeking private lodgings due to insufficient university hostels. The Satya Niketan collapse has intensified calls for stricter building regulations and better oversight of PG establishments.
Following the incident, the Patiala House Courts placed Satya Niketan building owner Hariram Gupta and his wife Urmila Gupta in 14‑day judicial custody, while their son Mahesh Gupta was remanded to two days of police custody. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site and announced that the building adjacent to the collapsed PG unit is deemed unsafe and will be demolished the next day. She also confirmed that the families of the victims have taken their loved ones’ bodies and left the city, with the government coordinating the necessary arrangements.
