Delhi police ASI dies, constable injured as roof of building collapses

While the ASI fell on the ground floor, Debu fell on the second floor and sustained minor injuries. With the help of local people, Hussain was shifted to Aruna Asaf Ali hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said.

The third floor of a building in north Delhi collapsed on Wednesday, killing a 49-year-old Assistant Sub-Inspector of Delhi Police and injuring his colleague, officials said. Ahead of the Independence Day, the police is conducting tenant verification drive across the city and ASI Zakir Hussain along with constable Debu (32) had gone into the three-story building in connection with it. Hussain and Debu, posted at the Bara Hindu Rao police station, reached the building around 10.20 am after they noticed illegal construction being carried out on its third floor. When both of them climbed up to the third floor to ascertain details and take photographs of the illegal construction work, the third floor, which was a terrace and on which they were standing, caved in. While the ASI fell on the ground floor, Debu fell on the second floor and sustained minor injuries.

With the help of local people, Hussain was shifted to Aruna Asaf Ali hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said. The second floor of the building was not occupied by tenants so no one else was injured in the incident. Only few machines and bricks were kept on second floor. Only the first floor of the dilapidated building was occupied, police said. Debu, who sustained minor injuries on his back, hands, abdomen and shoulder was discharged from hospital in the afternoon after treatment. Recalling the incident, Debu said he along with his senior visited the locality in connection with the tenant verification drive and were in another house when they noticed illegal construction being carried out on third floor of another building. The building was old and in a dilapilated condition. Some parts of the roof were already broken, he said.

"Soon after we the reached third floor of the building, the floor caved in. While my senior ASI fell on the ground, I fell on the second floor. With the help of locals, I managed to get out of the debris and started looking for Hussain sir. Later, I found him lying unconscious on the ground and immediately rushed him to a hospital," he said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Monika Bhardwaj said, "We have registered a case under section 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings) and 304 A (causing death by negligence) of Indian Penal Code." ASI Hussain joined Delhi Police in 1993. He hailed from Ganwara village in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. He was staying in Wazirabad here with his wife, two sons and a daughter, the DCP said.

Constable Debu lives with his parents and wife in outer Delhi, police said..