ABVP Protesters Clash With Police at MCD Headquarters Over Fatal Hostel Collapse
Delhi Police detained at least 15 members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Sunday evening after protesters forced their way into the Municipal Corporation of Delhi headquarters at the Civic Centre. The student demonstrators were demanding the immediate resignation of the MCD Commissioner following the collapse of a five-storey building housing a boys' hostel in Satya Niketan, which claimed four lives.
According to police, a crowd of approximately 150 to 200 ABVP members gathered outside the Civic Centre complex to hold a dharna against the civic body. The demonstrators entered the premises through Gate No. 5 and sat outside the main building, chanting slogans against the administration and its oversight of student housing.
Tensions escalated when several protesters attempted to push their way inside the main Civic Centre building, leading to jostling and physical scuffles with police personnel stationed at the entry points. Officers intervened to push back the crowd and clear the complex.
Police detained around 15 individuals at the scene and took them to the Kamla Market police station, where legal proceedings under the Delhi Police Act were initiated. The remaining demonstrators were dispersed from the area, and authorities reported that the situation at the headquarters was brought under control.
ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki called the Satya Niketan building collapse tragic and alarming. He demanded an impartial investigation into the disaster, strict action against those responsible, and immediate justice for the victims, adding that accountability must be fixed for officials who failed to ensure student safety and that the MCD Commissioner must resign immediately.
The demonstration comes ahead of the Delhi University Students' Union elections scheduled for later this month, which has intensified scrutiny over student accommodations across Delhi. Following the incident, other student organisations also raised concerns. National Students' Union of India president Vinod Jakhar criticised emergency response times, alleging that police arrived nearly an hour after the collapse and the NDRF roughly two hours later. Meanwhile, the Delhi State Committee of the Students' Federation of India staged a protest at the Delhi Secretariat, demanding strict action against illegal structures and a comprehensive safety audit of all private hostels and paying guest accommodations.
