New Delhi  -  At least 12 workers were killed and 16 were injured when a wall of a warehouse under construction collapsed near the Indian capital New Delhi, police said Sunday.

A police spokesman said the incident occurred Saturday night in the suburbs of the Gurgaon city, about 40 kilometres south of Delhi, when an 8-metre-high wall fell on temporary huts of workers.

"The workers lived in huts adjacent to the construction site, 12 of them died after the wall collapsed when a squall hit the area on Saturday night," Gurgaon assistant police commissioner Srikrishan Murari said.

"SIxteen others were injured and they were moved to a government hospital in the vicinity," Murari added.

Police suspect that the building material used in the construction was substandard.

Some local officials also said the wall was not of an adequate width, which caused it to collapse in the strong winds.

The police said that the death toll could rise as many workers sustained serious injuries. It registered a criminal case against the construction company that was building the warehouse. (dpa)