Beloved 'Parvati Aunty' dies in Delhi building collapse. She had gone back to help
Parvati, known as Parvati Aunty to students and office-goers, died after debris buried her canteen in the Mehrauli building collapse. Her death was mourned by residents of the area, where her small eatery had become a daily refuge for many.
Among the six people killed in the building collapse in South Delhi’s Mehrauli was Parvati, a woman affectionately known as "Parvati Aunty" to hundreds of students and office-goers in the area. Her death has left the neighbourhood in mourning, with many remembering not just her food but also the warmth she brought to the community.
Parvati, originally from Nepal, ran a small canteen from a tin-roofed portable cabin next to the five-storey building that collapsed. The modest eatery was a popular spot for students and working professionals, many of whom frequented it for its affordable, home-style meals. Over the years, Parvati became a familiar face in the area, serving meals, offering a listening ear and greeting regulars by name.
According to a worker at the canteen, around 12 to 13 people were inside when the building suddenly collapsed. The debris crashed onto the eatery, trapping several people under the rubble. While four or five people were rescued shortly after the incident, Parvati and others remained buried beneath the debris.
Hari Prasad Ojha, her brother-in-law, mentioned that she had just finished preparing an order of 12 aloo parathas and four cold coffees when she noticed something unusual.
"We suddenly felt the ground shaking and immediately rushed outside. We saw the building next to us beginning to collapse and realised that the canteen could also be affected," Ojha said.
However, even after reaching safety, Parvati reportedly ran back into the canteen to alert the students inside and help them evacuate. "She wanted to save the students. She went back in to call them out, but she never returned," he said.
THE RESCUE: A RACE AGAINST TIME
Emergency teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), carried out an overnight search-and-rescue operation. Parvati was eventually pulled from the rubble and rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, where doctors declared her dead.
The canteen quickly became a focal point of concern after the collapse. While authorities were initially unsure how many people were inside the building, locals had a clearer idea of who was present at the canteen. Witnesses said several students, including medical aspirants and regular customers, were among those trapped.
Throughout the rescue operation, anxious residents and students repeatedly asked rescuers whether "Parvati Aunty" had been found. News of her death devastated many in the area. Students, office workers and local residents gathered near the site, remembering her as a kind-hearted woman whose canteen had become a second home for many.
Her death has added a deeply personal dimension to a tragedy that has claimed six lives and shaken the Mehrauli community.
BUILDING WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Preliminary findings suggest the five-storey building was undergoing construction work when it collapsed. Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the incident and have not confirmed whether structural flaws, ongoing construction activity or other factors led to the tragedy.
Officials have also been unable to ascertain how many people were inside the building when it came down.
PROBE ON
In the aftermath of the collapse, two engineers with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have been suspended pending investigation.
Delhi Police have also registered an FIR against the building owner, invoking charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Investigators said the owner has been absconding since the incident. Multiple police teams have been formed to trace him, and raids are being conducted at various locations to secure his arrest.