NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has arrested two builders in connection with the building collapse in South Delhi’s Saidulajab area that killed six people and injured eight others. According to police, the accused, identified as Avnish Gupta and Manish Khatri, were arrested from Vasant Kunj. Investigators said both had fled Delhi after the incident and were frequently changing locations to evade arrest.
The arrests come days after police arrested Karamveer, the owner of the building, in connection with the case.
Sources said that after the five-storey building near Saket Metro Station collapsed on May 30, the two builders initially escaped to Dehradun before moving to Manali. Investigators found that the accused remained extremely cautious during their time on the run.
Fearing arrest, they allegedly avoided staying in hotels to prevent the creation of official records that could help police trace them. Police are verifying all facts related to the case and are also confirming the locations visited by the accused while absconding. Sources further said the accused largely relied on public transport and travelled on foot instead of using private vehicles or app-based cabs. Their mobile phones also remained switched off for most of the period.
The building housed a coaching centre, a café and offices, while construction work was allegedly underway on the upper floors at the time of collapse. Investigators are examining whether violations of building norms, unauthorised construction or structural deficiencies contributed to the tragedy.