Woman, 4 children killed in building collapse in northwest Delhi

Vartha Bharati | 26-09-2018 | 13:40:00 IST

New Delhi, Sep 26 : One woman and four children were killed and at least seven injured after a three-storey building collapsed in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar Wednesday, police said.

The injured have been rushed to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, they said.

The deceased woman was identified as Munni. Two of the children were brothers, aged around 10 years, and one was a boy and another was his sister aged below five years.

Several people are still feared trapped under the debris and rescue teams are working at the spot, the police said. A call about the incident was received at 9.25 am and six fire tenders were rushed to the spot near Sawan Park, an officer said.

Two teams of the NDRF have been mobilised for rescue operations, a NDRF spokesperson said.

A senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation official said the building was about 20 years old. Its structure was weak and in a deteriorated condition, the official added.

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First-ever life-size Vivekananda statue in US unveiled in Seattle

12-04-2026 ¦ 12-04-2026 IST

Photo: PTI

New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.

The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.

Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.

"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.

Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.

The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.

The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.

Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.

Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.