New Delhi, Aug. 14 -- Two boys, aged 10 and 9 years, died after a boundary wall of a vacant plot collapsed on them in south-west Delhi's Basant Nagar on Thursday. Police said the wall was "old" and "weak" and gave way due to heavy rain and waterlogging in the area.

The victims, close friends who lived in nearby jhuggis, were the children of daily wage labourers. According to police, the incident was reported at 4.44pm. The wall separates a vacant plot from a park, where the boys were playing in the rain. They reportedly took shelter near the wall when a large portion collapsed on them.

DCP (Southwest) Amit Goel said the children were sitting on a staircase alongside the wall. "After we received the call, we rushed to the spot and found ...