Couple crushed in Sohna wall collapse at construction site

Investigators said that both the bodies have been preserved at the government mortuary in Sohna and it will be handed over to the family members after carrying out autopsies on Monday.

A couple died after a brick wall for soil-retention collapsed on them during a basement construction of a residential society in Sohna on Sunday, said police. The incident took place at Sohna Dhani village between 1.30pm and 1.45pm. The couple identified as Prashant Kumar, 32, and his wife Lakshmi Devi, 29, were working in the basement with other daily-wage workers for piling work, said investigators.

Investigators said that the workers later also pulled out Prashant’s wife but she was unresponsive. They said she was also rushed to the Sohna hospital but doctors declared her dead. (Getty Images)

Police said that the retention wall was newly constructed to stop a soil cave in the basement. However, probably due to some error, the entire pressure of the soil came on the wall and it collapsed on the two workers crushing them to death.

The couple hailed from Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh and were living in Sohna in a rented accommodation, said Inspector Parveen Malik, station house officer of city Sohna police station.

“Soon after the wall collapsed, other workers raised an alarm following which several gathered and pulled Prashant out after several minutes by removing the debris with bare hands. The contractors at the spot rushed him to Sohna sub-divisional hospital in a private vehicle but looking at his severe injuries, doctors referred him to civil hospital in Sector-10A for better treatment. However, he died on the way while being transported in an ambulance,” said Malik.

Investigators said that the workers later also pulled out Prashant’s wife but she was unresponsive. They said she was also rushed to the Sohna hospital but doctors declared her dead.

Investigators said that both the bodies have been preserved at the government mortuary in Sohna and it will be handed over to the family members after carrying out autopsies on Monday.

Inspector Malik said that police were yet to receive any complaint in connection with the couple’s death. “If the family members allege negligence, we will register an FIR against the erring contractor or else an inquiry under section 194 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita will be carried out,” he said.