Six Dead, 12 Injured After Roof Collapse At Dargah Patte Shah Inside Humayun’s Tomb Complex In Delhi

Officials say the ASI-protected site’s walls were already in a weak state; rain drove worshippers into the rooms moments before the collapse.

Humayuns Tomb Complex Collapse, Dargah Patte Shah, Gurdwara Dam Dama Sahib
Resuce operations at the site Photo: Suresh Pandey
info_icon

Six people were killed and several injured on Friday afternoon when the roof and the walls of the Dargah Patte Shah, near Gurdwara Dam Dama Sahib inside Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb complex, collapsed during rain.

The incident occurred around 3:45 pm as worshippers gathered to offer prayers. With rain intensifying, many took shelter in three adjoining rooms, including the Imam’s chamber, when the roofs of two rooms caved in and the third was damaged.

IPS officer Sanjay K Jain said ten people were injured, nine of them taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre and one to LNJP Trauma Centre. “Five of them died, while treatment for the others is ongoing. Other administrative officials are present at the site,” he said.

Later in the day, South-East Delhi District Magistrate Dr Sravan Bagariya confirmed the death toll had risen to six. “The walls were weak and in a dilapidated condition. There might be encroachment on the ASI-protected site, which will be investigated. The Imam was engaged in the work of making prayer beads, which is why people had come to meet him,” he said.

MCD councillor Sarika Chaudhary said that rain forced people into the rooms for shelter. “The roofs of two out of the three rooms collapsed, and the roof of the third room was also damaged. These rooms included the Imam’s chamber,” she said.

According to Delhi Police, a call about the collapse was received at 3:55 pm. Ten to twelve people were pulled from the debris and rushed to hospitals. Multiple agencies, Delhi Fire Services (DFS), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), took part in the rescue.

“The Station House Officer and local staff reached there within five minutes and started the rescue. Fire personnel, CATS ambulances and the NDRF joined soon after,” a senior police officer said, PTI reported.

DFS Additional Divisional Officer Virendra Singh said his team rescued 8–10 trapped people. “Some are saying a few others might still be trapped, so the search is continuing. My team is working there,” he said.

Early reports from fire officials had mentioned the collapse of part of a dome, prompting the dispatch of five fire tenders.

According to PTI, Conservation architect Ratish Nanda from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which works with the Archaeological Survey of India on the site, clarified, “There has been no damage in Humayun’s Tomb. A new structure was being built near the Humayun tomb, its portion has collapsed, and some of it also fell onto the walls of the Humayun Tomb.”

Rescue operations were ongoing at the time of filing this report.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published At:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

×