Amid Republic Day festivities, Bhajanpura mourns 5 deaths

New Delhi: Amid the widespread Republic Day celebrations in the national Capital, Subhash Vihar was mourning the death of five people including four minor students who died when a floor of a building collapsed in North East Delhi's Bhajanpura area on Saturday.

On Sunday heart-rending scenes were seen in the neighbourhood when a man walked out of his house cradling the still body of his 9-year-old child. He was trudging towards Wazirabad area for the last rites. On the other hand, relatives of the deceased were seen crying in pain. "The pain of losing children will not be healed," Subhash Vihar residents said. According to the residents, within the radius of two kilometres, five families lost their loved ones.

The area had two marriage functions scheduled for Sunday, however, both families quietly performed the ceremony without any celebration. "I booked a DJ for my marriage function but after the horrific incident, we cancelled all our plans. I convey my condolences to the families who lost their loved ones," said Ankur Bharadwaj, a resident of the area.

Kanhaiya Lal, another resident, stated that after the incident a pall of gloom had descended over the area. "First time such an incident has happened in the locality. Nothing to celebrate, we are all deeply saddened by the incident," Lal said. 24-year-old Mohit who was among those who went inside the building for the rescue said: "I heard cries of children, they were saying mummy papa bacha lo."

Another resident, Mahesh said that when debris was being removed a man was seen lying on the floor unconscious and after a few seconds, children were found lying near him. "The person while trying to save the children must have fallen unconscious," Mahesh said. Deepa, a relative of Dishu who died in the incident, said the pain of losing Dishu will live forever with them. "I was in my inlaws house when someone informed me about the building collapse," she said.

Residents of the area said that around 30 students, all minors, were attending classes at the coaching centre when the two upper floors of the four-storey building collapsed, trapping them under the debris.

The fourth floor of the building was under construction and did not have a roof, officials said.