House locked, shop shuttered: Satya Niketan PG owner's family vanishes

Neighbours said they hadn't seen the family for over 24 hours Neighbours said they hadn't seen the family for over 24 hours The locked front gate of the Gupta house The locked front gate of the Gupta house Neighbours said they hadn't seen the family for over 24 hours Neighbours said they hadn't seen the family for over 24 hours The locked front gate of the Gupta house The locked front gate of the Gupta house Neighbours said they hadn't seen the family for over 24 hours 1 2 3 4 Gurgaon : A locked house, a shuttered hardware shop and neighbours waiting for answers. For nearly 24 hours after the Satya Niketan PG collapsed in Delhi, killing seven persons, the Sector 23 home of its owner Hariram Gupta remained shut, with neighbours saying they had not seen any family member since the tragedy. The silence around the house was striking on Monday. The front gate was locked, as was a smaller entrance on the side. Across the road, Gupta's paint and hardware shop remained shuttered as well as customers stopped to ask when it would reopen. Gupta, who has lived in Sector 23 for years, owns several properties in the city, neighbours said. 'The family has been living here for many years and owns multiple properties across the city. They are humble people. We visit their hardware and paint shop whenever we require something for house repairs. We have not seen them since the tragedy,' said neighbour SK Sharma. Before Gupta was held in Rajasthan's Bhiwadi on Monday, Delhi Police teams in plainclothes were stationed around the house. Crime branch personnel spoke to neighbours, seeking details about the family and their whereabouts. A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while Hariram had been arrested, other family members had also been rounded up. A neighbour said one of Hariram's two sons works in the aviation industry, while the other handles the family's rental business. The unusual closure also caught the attention of regular customers. Contractor Vinod Kumar, who often buys paint in bulk from Gupta's shop, said he came on Monday unaware of the collapse. 'I had come to buy some material, but the shop was closed even in the afternoon. That was unusual. I later learnt the Gupta were not at home and cops were looking for Hariram and his son. It is tragic that so many lives have been lost. But it was unintentional. We have known Hariram for long,' he added. The house drew more attention after Gupta's arrest. A young girl was seen trying to open the front gate while avoiding the cameras that had gathered outside. She covered her face on spotting the media and walked away. When TOI approached her, she refused to comment before eventually slipping inside through the side entrance. A shop owner in the local market said the family had run the hardware outlet for years but claimed he knew little about them. Several customers stood outside on Monday, asking about the owner and when the shop would open. No one had an answer. The five-storey boys' PG near Delhi University's South Campus collapsed on Sunday while renovation work was underway. Seven persons have died and several others have been rescued from the rubble. Police have registered an FIR against Hariram and others under BNS sections 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 290 for negligent conduct during repair or construction, and 125 for endangering life or personal safety. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Gurgaon | Silver Rate in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon | Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Petrol Price in Gurgaon | Diesel Price in Gurgaon | CNG Price in Gurgaon | LPG Price in Gurgaon Stay updated with the latest Gurgaon news. Download the TOI App.