5 dead in Delhi building crash; 40 students feared trapped under rubble

NEW DELHI, Sept 6: The death toll in the Delhi building collapse has gone up to five after another injured succumbed at AIIMS on Sunday evening following the collapse of multi-storey PG building in Delhi's Satya Niketan. Around 40-50 students are feared trapped under the rubble as rescue efforts are underway at the site with teams from DDMA, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CTS and Civil Defence involved in the operation on a "war footing," according to chief minister Rekha Gupta.

Meanwhile, some 11 students have been rescued from under the rubble and admitted to nearby hospitals.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Amit Goel said that a first information report (FIR) has been registered against the building owner Hariram and others under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings), and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the South Campus police station.

Police said that a PCR call regarding the incident was received at South Campus Police Station at around 1:34pm.

A police official at the site, later cited preliminary inquiry, around 40-50 students are suspected to have been inside the building at the time of the collapse.

According to locals in the area, the collapsed building was a boys' PG. An eyewitness reportedly said that the five-storey building was called "Hostel Daze", a dedicated boys' PG.

"The adjacent building also collapsed... All the students in their rooms were trapped under the rubble. We will only know the exact number of trapped students by checking the registration records," the eyewitness told a news agency. He added that many students have suffered severe injuries, adding that rescuers are working to pull them out with great difficulty.

Students in the vicinity claim that, since it was Sunday, most students would have been inside the building at the time of the incident.

ISRO rejects reports of privatisation, calls them ‘incorrect’

NEW DELHI, Sept 6: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday rejected claims of a possible move to privatise the agency or reduce its role, days after reports said nine associations representing thousands of ISRO employees had sought clarification over a proposal to hand the space agency’s manufacturing and operational work to private entities.

“These assertions are completely baseless and incorrect. We wish to categorically state that ISRO will neither be privatised nor will its importance be diminished,” the space agency said in a statement.

The statement added, “ISRO will continue to remain India’s principal institution for advanced space research and technology development, national and strategic missions, space science and exploration, and critical and frontier space capabilities.”

It said that the private-sector participation in space would not reduce ISRO's role, but would allow the agency to focus more closely on the next phase of India's space programme while private industry expands proven technologies and capabilities. “What is changing is not the importance of ISRO, but the scale and structure of India’s space ecosystem.”

ISRO said industry, start-ups and academic institutions are being encouraged to take part across the space sector, while adding to and expanding its existing capabilities. “The reforms should therefore be seen as ecosystem expansion and capability multiplication, not privatisation.”

ISRO said the shift was key for its Space Vision 2047, which aims to establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, send Indian astronauts to the Moon by 2040, build next-generation and reusable launch systems, continue long-term exploration of the Moon and other planets, and position India as a leading space power globally.

“These are technologically demanding missions that require ISRO to remain focused on advanced research and capabilities that cannot simply be substituted by commercial activity,” the statement read.

The objective is therefore to enable industry to scale mature capabilities while ISRO pushes India towards the next technological frontier, it said.

“Private participation in operations and services will be enabled where appropriate and will remain subject to national-security, safety and other regulatory requirements. Strategic and nationally critical capabilities will continue to be governed by security, safety, quality and national-interest considerations,” ISRO said.

In a letter dated September 4 and addressed to ISRO chairman and Department of Space (DoS) secretary V Narayanan, the associations asked for clarity on the government's privatisation policy, the agency's future role, and how the proposed changes could affect existing staff and future recruitment, HT reported earlier.

The letter was signed by employee bodies representing several ISRO centres and was reviewed by HT earlier. The signatories include the ISRO Staff Association, SHAR Employees Association, ISAC Employees Association, ISRO Staff Association-LPSC, ISRO Staff Association-BBU, NRSA Employees Union, Space Employees Association-BBU, ISRO Staff Association-IPRC and SAC Employees Welfare Association.

The associations said that the reports had caused concern among the employees and their families.

Pawan Goenka, chairperson of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), said on Sunday that ISRO's role was not being reduced and that the agency would continue to be the foundation of India's space sector.

IN-SPACe is an autonomous body under the Department of Space that promotes, enables, authorises and oversees space-related activities by non-government entities.

In a post on X, Goenka said, "The reforms since 2020 are about expanding India's overall space ecosystem. The idea is to let industry increasingly manufacture and scale mature launch vehicles, satellites and other systems."

Notably, the associations had sought clarification after Goenka said at a recent event that “eventually, Isro will not make any launch vehicles and will not manufacture any launch vehicles. That will all be done by the private sector or PSU.”

Ayodhya Ram Temple Gets Air Force Veteran As CEO, 3 New Members

AYODHYA, Sept 2: Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retired) has been selected as the first chief executive officer of the Ram Temple Trust from a long list of over 5,000 applicants. The former officer held several commanding positions in the Indian Air Force and was the chief of its Western Command during Operation Sindoor.

He will have on his hands the onerous task of making the management and financial accountability of the temple robust, which had been hit by a debilitating donation theft controversy earlier this year.

Air Marshal Mishra was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in December 1986. He retired in May 2026 after serving for over 38 years. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune, Air Force Test Pilots School, Bangalore, Air Command and Staff College, USA and the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.

Mishra's appointment is part of the structural changes brought in the Ram Temple Trust following the donation theft in Ayodhya. Three new members have been added to the trust. They are: Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi and Nirmala Yadav from Shikohabad.

Eight people, mostly linked to the counting of donations, have been arrested. The trust's general secretary, Champat Rai, also resigned in the wake of the row.

The trust had received 5,585 applications for the post.

The search panel was headed by retired judge Pramod Kohli and included retired Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi and former scientist Suresh Haware.

The applicants were evaluated based on a 600-mark framework. The final interviews of 16 candidates took place in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12.

A trust official said that "three highly qualified professionals" had been recommended. They were evaluated on parameters like institutional leadership, management expertise, integrity and vision required to head an institution of national and international significance.

The former IAF officer met all these criteria.

Air Marshal (Retired) Mishra is known for his exceptional leadership. He has served as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), commanding officer of a fighter squadron, Chief Test Pilot at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Air Officer commanding two frontline air bases, Director (Operational Planning and Assessment Group), Principal Director (ASR), Commandant ASTE and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training).

He received military honours such as Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service.

Supreme Court scraps all FIRs against NEET protesters

NEW DELHI, Sept 1: Meeting a key demand of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) which spearheaded the Jantar Mantar protests in New Delhi over exam paper leaks, the Supreme Court, acting Tuesday on requests by the Centre and some states, used its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash FIRs registered across the country against students who participated in the protests.

Following the order, the CJP called off a protest march scheduled for September 5 in New Delhi.

“All the FIRs… are hereby quashed,” ordered a three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, allowing applications filed by Delhi Police and the states of Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal.

On being told that states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh too had registered FIRs against the protesters but had not approached the court for their quashing, the bench directed that “if there is any other FIR registered with respect to the same incidents of protests between July 20-25, 2026, in any state/Union Territory which has not been formally brought to our notice, (they) shall not be pursued or investigated and such FIRs be taken as closed for all intents and purposes”. It said “no state/UT shall register any fresh FIR in relation to incidents of protests between July 20-25”.

The bench said it was exercising Article 142 powers “keeping in view the future” of young protesters who “bonafidely came to protest”. “We find it a fit case to invoke Article 142. These applications are allowed,” it said.

It, however, permitted the Central government/Delhi Police to register a fresh FIR in respect of 2,873 individuals with criminal records who were allegedly present at the protest sites.

The Delhi Police had told the court earlier that 2,873 individuals with serious criminal charges against them including those related to “murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, rape, POCSO etc” were at the protest sites.

“Such FIR shall be registered without prejudice to rights of parties to take lawful recourse,” the bench said.

The CJP informed the bench that it was withdrawing its call for a protest march on September 5.

“As co-convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), I want to state that in view of the positive assurances of the Government of India and the judicial sanctity bestowed upon them today, and in view of the order being passed by this Hon’ble Court, the CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on 5th September and looks forward to the compliance of today’s order,” CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, who was present in the courtroom, said, reading from a statement.

Taking note, the bench said “in light of the above directions, both sides shall abide by statements and commitments made before this court”.

“This order invoking Article 142 is subject to the condition that both sides shall abide by the understanding arrived at. These directions, being issued in peculiar facts and circumstances, shall not be treated as a precedent,” it said.

Appearing for the Centre and states, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta recalled the discussions between the Central government and protesters to end the July protests and the assurances given to the latter. He said there was some apprehension in the minds of the protesters about the assurances, and that the government remained committed to fulfilling them.

He urged the court to also quash FIRs registered in states and Union Territories even though they may not have approached the court.

Mehta urged the court to give the government three months to work out the modalities for grant of compensation to the families of the students who took their lives following the exam paper leak. He then asked Das to respond.

After Das read out his statement, the CJI said, “Fair enough from their side… If both sides will show a good gesture, then any, all issues can be resolved one by one… There is nothing in the world which is too complicated that it (cannot be resolved).”

Accepting the Centre’s request for time to work out the modalities for payment of compensation, the bench said, “The Central government is directed to formulate the modalities and policy with respect to payment of compensation on a pan-India basis. Such model policy may be circulated to all the State Governments/Union Territories in consultation with all the State Governments/Union Territories, and such a framework may then be adopted by all the State Governments and Union Territories as a regular mechanism of compensatory measures. As regards to the students who committed suicide in respect of NEET 2026, the Central government shall pay compensation to the affected families after the policy is formulated, within a period of three months.”

Towards the end of the hearing, Das thanked the bench. “I just want to thank the court for doing what it did today. It’s historic.”

The CJI replied: “You have also shown a very good gesture. Credit to both sides. In a way, as an institution, we are thankful that a very constructive environment has been created which will help youngsters.”