New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- The Delhi High Court on Wednesday observed that the collapse of a paying guest building in Satya Niketan area, which resulted in the death of seven people, was a consequence of "callous and criminal conduct".

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation concerning the September 6 building collapse near Delhi University's South Campus.

During the hearing, the Bench referred to a newspaper report about four students who died in the incident and noted that they had come to Delhi from small towns with hopes of pursuing higher education.

"It's not an ordinary incident of any mishap," the Bench observed, highli...