Chandigarh booth collapse: Owner among 3 booked

The contractor, Surender Singh, alias Gaurav, 30, a resident of Sector 35; and the tenant, Aayush, 24, a resident of Sector 32, Chandigarh, were arrested and later released on bail

chandigarh@hindustantimes.com

Prima facie the renovation work was being carried out without securing the walls and roof of the booths, which caused them to collapse suddenly, police officials said. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

A day after a labourer was killed and two more were injured after two adjoining booths collapsed amid renovation works near Terraced Garden in Sector 33, police on Thursday booked the booths’ owner, his tenant and the contractor engaged for the revamp.

The contractor, Surender Singh, alias Gaurav, 30, a resident of Sector 35; and the tenant, Aayush, 24, a resident of Sector 32, were arrested and later released on bail.

Along with the booths’ owner, GS Sidhu, who lives in Sector 21, they have been booked under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 34 police station.

As per police, Booth Numbers 9 and 10, which earlier housed a liquor vend, were being renovated to be converted into a coffee shop by Aayush, who has taken the booths on lease. Work was underway around 5 pm on Wednesday, when the concrete roof and walls gave way, trapping three labourers.

While labourers Arun Tiwari and Chote Lal were rescued from the rubble, Manchan Kumar, 24, was buried underneath and an iron rod also pierced his head.

All three were taken to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where Kumar was declared dead.

Prima facie the renovation work was being carried out without securing the walls and roof of the booths, which caused them to collapse suddenly, police officials said.