One more worker injured in the factory roof collapse in Ludhiana died on Wednesday, taking the death toll in the mishap to five.
The victim, Santosh Kumar (31), who hailed from Bihar, was undergoing treatment at SPS Hospital. He was working as a foreman at a unit located adjacent to the factory for nearly a year.
Others who died in the incident were Mustkeen and Sagar Kumar of Bihar, and Peechu and Imitiaz of Kakkowal Road. Of the four persons being treated at hospital, the condition of three is stable, officials said.
Division no 6 police station in-charge Amandeep Singh Brar said the post mortem on the bodied of two workers was conducted on Wednesday.
The factory owner, Jaswinder Singh Sonu of Dashmesh Nagar locality in the city, was produced in a court on Wednesday and was sent to three-day police remand.
Contractor still on the run
Additional deputy commissioner of police (City 2) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said contractor Mohammad Harun was still on the run and a hunt was on to nab him. “The entire picture will be clear once he is arrested,” he said.
The mishap took when the roof was being lifted with the help of jacks to increase its height. It has emerged that the contractor had agreed to get the job done at much less than the market price.
{{/usCountry}}The mishap took when the roof was being lifted with the help of jacks to increase its height. It has emerged that the contractor had agreed to get the job done at much less than the market price.
{{/usCountry}}Also, the work was being carried out in violation of the building bylaws, it was found.
One of the labourers has alleged that the contractor was pressurising them to finish the work quickly and the tragedy was a result of that.
The work to remove debris continued for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
“No labourer was found trapped in the debris. But we are still taking due precaution while removing the rubble,” an official said.