3 women among 6 killed after structure of dargah near Humayun's Tomb collapses

Six people, including three women, were killed and five others injured on Friday when the wall and roof of two adjoining rooms at a dargah near Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area collapsed, officials said.

The incident occurred around 3:30 pm at Dargah Sharif Patte Shah, which shares its boundary wall with the 16th-century Humayun’s Tomb complex, commissioned in 1558 by Mughal emperor Humayun’s first wife, Bega Begum.

One of the deceased was identified as 79-year-old Swaroop Chand, while the injured were named as Md Shameem, Master Aryan, Gudiya, Rafat Parveen, and 65-year-old Rani, according to a Delhi Fire Services officer.Six people, including three women, were killed and five others injured on Friday, 15 August, when the wall and roof of two adjoining rooms at a dargah near Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area collapsed, officials said.

According to a senior police officer, the two rooms — one used by an imam and the other as a resting space — were already in a deteriorating condition. Following days of heavy rain, the roof and part of a wall collapsed when around 15 people had taken shelter inside.

Officials said the premises include a mosque frequented by worshippers, a dargah, and at least two adjoining rooms.

A local said people gathered on the premises to offer Friday prayers at the mosque.

There is also a mosque within the Humayun’s Tomb premises, and with a parking lot located near the dargah, some people had initially taken shelter there from the rain. As the downpour intensified, several moved into the imam’s room, where the collapse later occurred.

In all, six people — including a 79-year-old man and three women — lost their lives in the collapse, while five others were injured, among them a four-year-old boy, police said.

One of the deceased was identified as 79-year-old Swaroop Chand, while the injured were named as Md Shameem, Master Aryan, Gudiya, Rafat Parveen, and 65-year-old Rani, according to a Delhi Fire Services officer.

"After the collapse, 12 victims, mostly visitors, were rescued from under the debris. Nine of them were admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where five died.

"A male patient was admitted to the LNJP Hospital, while a female patient was taken to the RML Hospital," DCP (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said.

The man admitted to the LNJP Hospital died during treatment, he said.

The DVR of the mosque has been taken to the Hazarat Nizamuddin police station, and the caretakers of the mosque are being examined, police said.

Civic agencies are being informed for further investigation at their end, they said.

Various agencies, including Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services (DFS), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Archeological Survey of India (ASI), were involved in the rescue operation.

The victims belonged to the surrounding areas, Mustafabad and Zakir Nagar.

"It is being said that a maulavi stayed here who made 'taveez', and it is suspected that people used to visit the dargah to get that made," an official told reporters.

Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Jain said people were visiting the dargah for Friday prayers and were sitting inside the room due to rain when the incident took place.

The rescue operation has been completed, police said, adding that 10-12 victims were rescued from under the debris after a call regarding the incident was received at 3:55 pm.

A senior DFS officer had initially said that a call regarding the collapse of a portion of a dome at the tomb was received, after which five fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

Authorities later clarified that the incident did not involve the main dome of the 16th-century monument but a smaller room within its premises.

Vishal Kumar, an eyewitness, told PTI, "I work at Humayun's Tomb. When we heard the noise, my supervisor came running. At least 10 to 12 people were trapped under the debris. The imam is also among the injured."

Another eyewitness narrated how close she came to being buried under the debris.

"I was only two steps away from entering the room," she said.

"It started raining, and everyone went inside to take shelter. Suddenly, the wall collapsed. I kept shouting for help but there was no one nearby. Then some people came running, and we started pulling people out," she added.

Among those who lost their lives was Moin Uddin (32), the sole breadwinner for his family.

A father to a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, Moin had moved from Bihar and worked at a garment shop to support his family.

"He had gone to offer Friday namaz," Waseem Uddin, Moin's landlord, said.

"He used to send money back home in Bihar to support his parents and younger brother," he said.

Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a major tourist attraction, which sees the footfall of hundreds of domestic and foreign visitors daily.

"There has been no damage to the Humayun's Tomb. A new structure was being built near the Tomb, a portion of which collapsed," Ratish Nanda, conservation architect at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the organisation behind the restoration of Humayun's Tomb, said.

With PTI inputs