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Many of the students staying there were thought to be in their rooms at the time of the collapse as there were no lessons on Sunday.<\/p>\n
A legislative assembly member said at the scene that some of the trapped students had been making calls from under the rubble.<\/p>\n
Eyewitnesses told local media that another building beside the hostel had also collapsed.<\/p>\n
Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta said an adjacent building had been evacuated “as a precautionary measure”.<\/p>\n
“Every possible effort is being made to safely rescue those trapped,” she added.<\/p>\n
Delhi Police said the building had only been 40 or 50 years old.<\/p>\n
The owner of a nearby shop told news agency ANI that it was under a 100-year lease and that the leaseholder had undertaken excavation work in the basement to increase their income.<\/p>\n
“They strengthened the upper building, but the pillars below were weak,” he said, noting that the construction workers had also been buried.<\/p>\n
The National Students’ Union of India called on the government to investigate the cause of the collapse and hold anyone found responsible to account.<\/p>\n
“Negligence with the safety of students and common people will not be tolerated at any cost,” it said.<\/p>\n
Police are searching for the owner of the building, Times of India reports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n