The family of 18-year-old Arpit Jai, who lost his life when a PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, donated his eyes. His father said he wished he could have got his son out of that PG. He had spoken to him over a video call just one night earlier.
Akshat Singh Yadav, a second-year student at DU’s PGDAV College, was also among those who lost their lives in the Delhi building accident. After learning of his death, his family reached the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi on Monday morning.
Akshat’s parents broke down upon seeing his body. His sister, Lichi, is in shock and unable to speak. Akshat had spoken to his mother over a video call just two days earlier.
So far, seven people have died in the accident. The rescue team recovered another body from the debris on Monday morning. The accident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus. The hostel was housed in a five-story building that was around 40 years old.
A student trapped under the debris was screaming for help when the police and people present there removed the rubble and tried to pull him out.
Had come home for Raksha Bandhan
According to the family, Akshat had recently come home for Raksha Bandhan. His father asked him to stay for a few more days, but Akshat said that his ticket had already been booked and that he would have to return to Delhi.
Akshat was very interested in swords. His mother said that a sword costing ₹2,500 had recently been delivered to their home. When the family showed him the sword during a video call, he was very happy.
NDRF personnel carrying the young man rescued from the debris.
He was preparing for the UPSC examination
Akshat’s father said that his teachers often praised his academic performance. Akshat would tell him, “Dad, one day I will become an officer and make you proud.”
Akshat’s father questioned the administration over the incident. He said that such buildings should be inspected regularly to ensure the safety of the students living or studying there.
He said, “People send their children to these buildings believing that they are safe. We never imagined that our son would be unsafe there.”
The students rescued from the debris were taken to the hospital on stretchers.
Father says-Would never have let his son stay in the PG
Arpit’s father, Bhupendra Jai, said, “My son had returned from our hometown after the Raksha Bandhan holidays. He had reached his PG yesterday morning, and the next time we saw him, he was dead.”
He said, “Everyone is telling us how poor the condition of the PG was. I wish my son had told me earlier. I would never have let him stay there.”
NDRF and the fire team rescued a young man from the debris. He was immediately covered with a cloth and taken to the hospital.
Friend said, “We kept searching for Arpit throughout the night”
One of Arpit’s friends said that when his family reached the hospital and saw the body, it was difficult to identify him due to the severity of the injuries.
The friend said, “On Monday morning, the hospital, AIIMS, told us that a body matched the identification details we had provided. But when we went to identify it, the body was badly injured and we could not recognize him.”
He further said, “His family arrived at around 6:30 a.m. Eventually, they were able to identify Arpit. His mother identified him by the birthmarks on his body.”
The friend said they searched for Arpit all night, but could not find him. He said, “We looked for him all night, but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually, we were told that he was no longer alive.”
