Five people were killed after an under-construction building collapsed in Bengaluru yesterday. Declaring the building site ‘illegal,’ Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar promised stringent action against the building owner.
“No permission was granted for this construction, and illegal activities occurred. We will take decisive action against the owner, the contractor, and all involved parties. A comprehensive decision will be taken to stop all illegal constructions across Bengaluru, Shivakumar said as he visited the site in Horamavu Agara.
Preliminary reports suggest that there were approximately 21 laborers present on the site when the incident occurred. The administration confirmed that a body, which belonged to a 26-year-old named Arman, had been recovered.
The total number of deaths now stands at five, with another seven sustaining injuries. Thirteen people were rescued from the rubble by rescuers. Those who lost their lives are Harman (26), Tripal (35), Mohd Sahil (19), Sathya Raju (25), and Shankar.
Tushar Giri Nath, Chief Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike, gave Shivakumar’s assessment a second when he said, “Building such a high-rise structure on a 60/40 plot is criminal. Authorities issued notices three times; if so, stringent action should follow. This is a serious lesson for us.”
Rescue work is underway with the assistance of NDRF, SDRF personnel, and dog squads. “After we learned of the collapse, fire engines and personnel were sent to the site immediately. SDRF and NDRF were also informed, and operations are in progress,” said Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General of Fire Services.
A detailed investigation will determine the exact number of casualties. According to Soti, 15 to 20 laborers stayed in the building. However, some workers stayed in a shed adjacent to the under-construction building. The CCTV footage captured when the under-construction building suddenly tilted and came down. It seemed the building had been painted freshly from outside, and the construction was almost complete.
