In Jaipur, tragedy struck on Saturday when a five-storey residential building collapsed, killing two people and injuring five others. Police said that the building, which was in very poor condition, had 19 residents at the time of the incident. As the back portion of the building began to give way, 12 people managed to escape. But within seconds, the entire structure crumbled, leaving seven people trapped under the rubble. Among the victims were Prabhat Kumar, aged 33, and his six-year-old daughter Peehu, who were asleep on the third floor when the collapse happened.
Subhash Chowk inspector Likhma Ram said rescue operations were launched immediately. Local residents raised the alarm, and the police rushed to the spot along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the municipal civil defence team. After a two-hour-long effort that stretched late into the night, the SDRF managed to recover the two bodies and pull five others alive from the debris. All the injured were taken to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, where they are now receiving treatment. The injured included Prabhat’s wife Suneeta, 25, and another family—Vasudev, 34, his wife Sukanya, 23, and their two young sons, Sonu, 4, and Rishi, 6.
The police and rescue teams said the accident could have been worse if the majority of residents had not fled in time. Still, the grief of the families who lost loved ones was deep. Prabhat’s family, devastated by the sudden deaths, refused to take the bodies for cremation until they were promised proper compensation. Negotiations followed, and the building owner agreed to pay ₹6,00,000 as compensation. Police said further inquiries were being made to fix responsibility.
Officials confirmed that this tragedy could have been avoided. According to Jaipur Municipal Corporation – Heritage (JMC-H), the building was already marked as dangerous. The civic body had sent two notices to the building owner, one on August 13 and another on September 4, asking them to vacate the premises. Despite these warnings, no action was taken, and families continued to live inside. “Residents were still staying there, even though the structure was unsafe,” said JMC-H commissioner Nidhi Patel. She added that around 126 other buildings in the city are in a similar dilapidated state, with ten of them located in the Subhash Chowk area itself, where this collapse happened.
The accident has raised urgent questions about accountability. Locals have criticised the municipal body for not enforcing the evacuation notices more strictly. They argue that if the authorities had forced the residents out, lives could have been saved. On the other hand, families living in such old buildings often say they have no alternative housing and cannot afford to leave unless they receive proper support or relocation assistance. The incident has therefore once again highlighted the tension between official warnings and the realities of poor families in urban centres.
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Inspector Likhma Ram confirmed that police are questioning the building’s owners. However, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered yet. Legal experts suggest that the owners may face charges for negligence leading to death. Meanwhile, city officials have promised to take stricter measures regarding unsafe structures in the coming weeks.
The collapse has also reminded Jaipur of a larger problem that many Indian cities face—aging buildings that remain occupied despite being unsafe. Heavy rains, poor maintenance, and lack of timely repair make these structures even more dangerous. Unless clear action is taken, experts warn that similar tragedies could occur in the future.
For the families of Prabhat and Peehu, though, the debate offers little comfort. They are left to mourn their loved ones, caught in a disaster that might have been prevented had warnings been taken seriously. The city now faces the painful question of how many more lives will be lost before stronger action is taken against unsafe buildings.
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