Four College Students Killed In Satya Niketan Building Collapse In Delhi
An 18-year-old college student was among multiple victims killed when a building housing a paying guest accommodation collapsed in Satya Niketan, with rescue teams recovering his body from the debris at 7:00 am on Monday. The deceased, Akshat Yadav, was a second-year BCom (Hons) student at PGDAV College who aspired to become an IAS officer.
Akshat's mother, Sweta, identified his body at the AIIMS mortuary using a mole on his neck and a surgical scar on his right leg. Akshat had been living in Delhi for two years and had resided on the first floor of the Satya Niketan PG accommodation for nearly a year, paying Rs 18,000 per month in rent. He had returned to the city from his hometown in Madhya Pradesh two days prior to the incident after celebrating Raksha Bandhan.
His cousin, Deepankar, said he had previously advised Akshat to relocate to Mayur Vihar, but Akshat chose to stay, remarking that it was only a matter of one year. Akshat had spoken to his parents over a video call on Sunday morning before the collapse. Family members searching through the rubble later found his wallet, confirming he was trapped inside. Neighbour Vijay Kumar Rajak said Akshat was dedicated to his studies and mostly kept to himself.
The collapse also claimed the life of 20-year-old Yuvraj Soni, a native of Chhattisgarh and a BCom (Hons) student at Motilal Nehru College. Yuvraj had moved into the fourth floor of the PG accommodation just a week earlier and was speaking to his friend Gunjan on the phone when the building collapsed and the line went dead. His father, Kanhaiya, who runs a medical store in Chhattisgarh, was hospitalised after being told his son was in critical condition.
Another victim, 18-year-old Arpit Jaj, an aspiring chartered accountant and second-year BCom student from Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, returned to the accommodation at 8:00 am on Sunday following Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami celebrations. His body was identified at 6:00 pm, and his family decided to donate his corneas. A fourth victim, 17-year-old Pawan Kumar from Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, was studying computer science with mathematics at Motilal Nehru College. Pawan had cancelled weekend plans to visit a relative before being trapped in the building, with his death confirmed shortly after 10:00 pm.
