A 35-year-old man allegedly faked his own kidnapping after concealing his year-long unemployment from his family and falling into debt, the police said on Thursday.

According to the police, the man, a resident of Rohini Sector 23, had been without a job for nearly a year but continued to leave home daily, pretending to go to work. During this period, he also took loans from multiple finance companies and was unable to repay the instalments, leading to mounting financial stress.

On August 3, he left home around 3.30 p.m. and later called his father at about 8.05 p.m., saying he would return shortly. He subsequently informed the family that his car had brushed against an elderly couple near Sector 28 and that he was dropping them to their destination.

Minutes later, his younger brother received a call in which only the words “Deepu, Deepu, ruko” were heard before the line went dead. His phone was switched off thereafter.

Suspecting abduction, the family searched for him and found his car abandoned on the road leading from Sector 28 towards Khera. A case of kidnapping was registered at the Shahbad Dairy police station.

During the investigation, police traced him near the Kaushambi Metro Station bus stand. “He disclosed that he had been unemployed for the past year and had been misleading his family. He had also taken multiple loans and was under pressure due to non-payment of EMIs,” a senior police officer said.

Unable to cope with the financial stress and fearing confrontation with his family, he left home voluntarily and stayed at different locations to avoid being traced, the police said.

Further investigation is under way.

One person was killed and at least five others were feared trapped after a four-storeyed under-construction building collapsed in north-west Delhi’s Rohini Sector 16 on Wednesday evening.

“The police received a PCR call at 4.28 p.m. and a rescue operation was launched immediately,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal said, adding that the area was immediately secured and nearby buildings were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Delhi Fire Services and National Disaster Response Force personnel were also pressed into the rescue operation, officials said.

According to eyewitnesses, a biker, who was passing by the area at the time, came under the debris and was grievously injured as the building came crashing down. He was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Ram Kishore, 42.

A construction worker, Ravi, 35, was rescued safely. “Rescue personnel managed to establish contact with him as he was trapped under the rubble and managed to pass on drinking water to him. We also arranged an oxygen cylinder even as rescue personnel pulled him out to safety,” a police officer said. Building owner Manju Dua’s husband, Ram Dua, is also suspected to be trapped in the rubble, the officer added. “At least four-five workers are suspected to be still trapped inside the collapsed structure,” he said.

Residents rushed to the site after hearing a loud crash from the collapse and started removing the debris amid cries of help from under the pile of rubble.

‘Run, run, it’s falling’

“I was going to meet a friend when I heard a loud crash and then a cloud of dust. Everyone started running in all directions,” said Ramesh Kumar, a local shop owner, who joined his neighbours in the initial rescue efforts.

A 10-year-old, who was passing by the area along with his sister and mother at the time of the collapse, said, “At first, we heard a rumbling sound and saw three labourers running out, shouting, ‘run, run, the building is falling’. After that it was all dust and nothing was visible.”

The rescue operation will continue through the night, the DCP said.