It was a phone call and a wristwatch that helped save 25-year-old Kshitij Pratap after he was trapped beneath the rubble of the building collapse in Saidulajab that killed six people and injured 10 others on Saturday.
Speaking from his hospital bed at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, Pratap recounted how he survived after a multi-storey building collapsed onto a canteen where he was having dinner.
“I tried desperately to free myself but couldn’t move because my leg was trapped under heavy rubble. One of my hands was outside the debris, and the tin shed created a small air pocket that allowed me to breathe,” he said.
Realising the gravity of the situation, Pratap managed to pull out his mobile phone and call a friend, informing him of his condition and location.
“My friends rushed to the spot and began searching through the debris. They eventually identified me by the wristwatch on my hand protruding from the rubble,” he said. With the help of locals, they managed to pull him out in less than half an hour.
Pratap said his leg remained pinned beneath a heavy object for a considerable period, causing severe injuries.
Pratap said his leg remained pinned beneath a heavy object for a considerable period, causing severe injuries.
“I was struggling to breathe and my condition was getting worse. Had there been any further delay in rescuing me, anything could have happened,” he recalled.
Another survivor, 24-year-old Aditya Sharma, suffered a fractured leg. His brother, Rajneesh Sharma, a software engineer in Jaipur, said Aditya was trapped under the debris for around 10 minutes.
“All his friends are in the ICU, battling for their lives. My brother survived because the debris did not fall on his head,” Rajneesh said.
Six people died and 10 were injured when the four-storey building, on which two additional floors were under construction, collapsed around 7.25pm on Saturday in Saidulajab, a congested neighbourhood near Saket Metro station. The structure crumpled onto an adjacent eatery where more than a dozen students were having dinner.
The dead were identified as Ravi Prakash, 26, a doctor; Ekta, 23; Kapil, 26; Alok Verma, 23; Nalin Rai, 23, all BTech graduates; and Parvati Ojha, 39, who owned the eatery.
Officials said more than 70 truckloads of debris had been removed from the site since Saturday evening. The operation, however, continued as civic agencies and rescue personnel searched the rubble for any possible victims.
Aspirants fear setback as books, notes remain trapped
Meanwhile, on Monday, hundreds of students waited anxiously for laptops, mobile phones, books and study material left inside a neighbouring building that has deemed unsafe for entry.
Police said the building adjoining the collapsed structure had developed a tilt and could collapse at any time, making it unsafe for students or officials to enter and retrieve belongings.
The situation has left more than 150 students, many of whom were studying at a library and coaching centre operating from the neighbouring building, worried about their upcoming examinations.
Among them is Atlanta, a resident of Assam who recently returned to India after completing her MBBS degree in Russia. She is preparing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), scheduled for June 28.
Atlanta said she was studying in the library when a loud crash triggered panic. “Everyone rushed out to save themselves. I had to leave behind my laptop, mobile phone, books and notes,” she said. “Most of my study material is still inside. If I don’t get it back soon, my preparation will suffer.”
During debris removal on Sunday evening, police recovered 23 laptops from the site. A senior officer said ownership of the devices has not yet been established. The laptops have been kept safely at the local police station until they can be returned to their owners.
Police said no family member, coaching centre or employer has so far reported any missing person linked to the building. As a result, the possibility of additional victims being trapped beneath the rubble appears minimal, although the search operation will continue until the site is thoroughly cleared and declared safe.
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