Five dead in wall collapse of dargah near Humayun's Tomb: Delhi Police

Five people lost their lives and four others sustained injuries on Friday evening when a wall at a dargah near Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb gave way, according to police.

It was earlier erroneously reported by news agencies that the historic monument itself had suffered a partial collapse.

Officials confirmed that nine of the injured were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, while one was admitted to LNJP Hospital. “So far, we have learned that five people who were under treatment at AIIMS trauma Centre died and others are still under treatment. We have cordoned off the area,” joint commissioner of police Sanjay Kumar Jain told reporters.

Police said the victims had gathered at the dargah for Friday prayers and had taken shelter inside a room to escape the rain when the wall collapsed.

Rescue efforts have now concluded. Authorities reported that between 10 and 12 people were pulled from the debris after receiving an emergency call at 3.55 pm.

Multiple agencies, including the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Police, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), were mobilised to the site.

“The Station House Officer and local staff reached there within five minutes and started the rescue. Some time later, fire personnel and CATS ambulances also reached the spot. NDRF also joined the rescue efforts,” a senior police officer said, adding that the operation had continued for several hours.

Initially, a senior DFS official reported receiving a call about the collapse of part of a dome at the tomb. Five fire tenders were dispatched immediately. Authorities later clarified that the damage was not to the main dome of the 16th-century monument, but to a smaller structure within its grounds.

Vishal Kumar, who witnessed the incident, told PTI: “I work at Humayun's Tomb. When we heard the noise, my supervisor came running. We called for people and the administration. Slowly, we took out the people who were trapped. There were at least 10 to 12 people. The Imam was also there and he is also among the injured. I have taken out at least eight to nine people.”

A woman who was close to the site at the time described the moment the wall gave way. “I was standing outside and was about to enter the room and was just two steps away from it. As it started raining, everyone went inside to take shelter. Just then, the wall collapsed. After that, I started shouting for help, but there was no one around. I kept shouting, and then some people from nearby came and helped us rescue everyone trapped inside,” she said.

Humayun’s Tomb, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, draws hundreds of domestic and international visitors each day.

“There has been no damage to Humayun's Tomb. A new structure was being built near the tomb, a portion of that has collapsed, and some of it also fell on to the walls of Humayun's Tomb,” said Ratish Nanda, conservation architect at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which has overseen the monument’s restoration.

The complex has long been the focus of a conservation partnership between the Archaeological Survey of India and the AKTC.

With PTI inputs