5 Killed In Dargah Wall Collapse Near Humayun's Tomb In Delhi
The injured were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where five succumbed to their injuries. The rescue operation has been completed, said the Joint CP.
Five people were killed and four others injured on Friday evening when a wall of a dargah near Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area collapsed, police said.
The victims had taken shelter inside the dargah during heavy rain when the wall suddenly gave way. “So far, we have learned that five people who were under treatment at AIIMS Trauma Centre have died. Others are still receiving treatment. We have cordoned off the area,” Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Jain told reporters.
According to police, 10 to 12 people were trapped under the debris after the collapse at around 3:55 pm. Nine injured were rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, while one was taken to LNJP Hospital.
Multiple agencies, including Delhi Fire Services, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police, and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, were pressed into service. “The Station House Officer and local staff reached within five minutes and began the rescue. Fire personnel, CATS ambulances, and NDRF teams joined soon after,” a senior officer said.
Initial reports suggested a portion of a dome at the UNESCO World Heritage Site had collapsed. Authorities later clarified that the main 16th-century mausoleum was unharmed and that the incident occurred in a smaller room within the complex’s periphery.
Eyewitness Accounts
Vishal Kumar, who works at Humayun’s Tomb, said he and his colleagues helped pull people from the rubble. “There were at least 10 to 12 people inside, including the Imam. I personally helped rescue eight to nine people,” he told PTI.
A woman who narrowly escaped injury recalled, “I was just two steps from entering the room when the wall collapsed. I started shouting for help, and finally, some people from nearby came and helped us rescue those trapped.”
Restoration Work Unaffected
Ratish Nanda, conservation architect at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), confirmed the collapse did not damage the main tomb. “A new structure was being built near Humayun’s Tomb. A portion collapsed, and some debris fell onto the monument’s walls,” he said. The AKTC has been working with the Archaeological Survey of India on long-term restoration of the site.
Humayun’s Tomb, one of Delhi’s most visited tourist attractions, draws hundreds of domestic and international visitors daily.
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