By Shubhangi Chauhan
On Friday 15 August, six persons were killed and five others injured when a part of Patte Shah Dargah in Southeast Delhi collapsed following pounding rains, police said.
It happened at around 3:55 p.m. when two of the rooms in the dargah collapsed. There were at least 12 people inside at the time with many of them visitors to see Imam Mohammed Rafi or shelter themselves due to the downpour.
It took almost four hours as teams of the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) worked on rescue efforts. There was also patrolling of a dog squad and ambulances. The dargah is not an included part of the heritage site even though gates of the Humayun Tomb complex were opened to allow the operation to take place.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Hemant Tiwari stated, “11 were pulled out of the rubble. Nine were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre and five of them were declared dead whereas one more of the victim was declared brought dead at Lok Nayak Hospital. Another individual who is currently being treated at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital,” he said. One of those blasted out came off whole.
Police officials stated that there were three men and three women who are the suspected victims. The DVR of the dargah has been confiscated and caretakers of the dargah are under interrogation. The officials stated that another wall of the same building has also been declared dangerous.
The relatives of the victims gathered at the hospitals in distress. Harish Kumar has lost his father in this incident and his mother remains to be on the verge of fighting injuries. The other victim, a 39-year old lady, Anita Seni was in the dargah visiting it for the first time to meet the Imam when tragedy hit.
Authorities are further investigating more and prosecuting as well and the civic departments have been informed of the unsafe, dangerous structure.