Maharashtra: 10 dead, families shattered in Bhiwandi building collapse

The four-storey building had been declared unsafe, but repair work continued despite civic notices before its B wing collapsed on Thursday night.

Ten people were killed and three injured when a portion of a four-storey building in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi collapsed late on Thursday night, trapping several residents under the debris. The building, Kohinoor Apartments in the Narpoli locality, was unauthorised and had been declared dangerously dilapidated but Bilal Khan, who owned the property, had allegedly ignored several notices from the civic administration. Instead, the building, only 15 years old, was under repairs when its B wing collapsed.

Rescue operation continues after deadly collapse

Sister of one of the deceased Shameem Ansari was inconsolable outside Bhiwandi’s Indira Gandhi Hospital on Friday morning upon learning of her brother’s passing.praful Gangurde

Rescue workers combed the debris for survivors and victims through the night and recovered ten bodies by Friday evening. They said chances of finding any more survivors were very slim.

Civic officials said B wing started tilting at around 8.00pm on Thursday, bringing them to the site and ordering the occupants to evacuate. B wing consisted of 12 rooms on each of the four floors, and 35-40 residents moved out including the labourers, who were engaged in the repairs and living on-site. Those who did not leave were killed when the structure crashed suddenly at 11.20pm.

Rescue operations were carried out by the National Disaster Response Force, Thane Disaster Response Force and fire brigade personnel. Rescuers had to demolish a chawl with 20 rooms so that earthmovers, trucks and ambulances could reach the crash site.

The collapse site of Kohinoor Apartments in Bhiwandi, where a four-storey residential building gave way, killing 10 people and injuring three others.

BNMC claims eviction notices were served

Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) officials say they had warned the occupants and the property owner, Bilal Khan, several times about the unsafe condition of the building over the last six years.

They said they issued the first eviction notice to the occupants of Kohinoor Apartments in July 2020. But most of them, migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar working in Bhiwandi’s power looms and associated industries, did not move out. They were paying monthly rent ranging from ₹3,000 to ₹5,000, including electricity and water charges, said a civic official.

On September 7, 2020, Khan was issued another notice, directing him to submit a structural audit report after the building was found to be dangerous, officials said. On April 22, 2022, a reminder notice was served after he failed to submit the structural audit report. On June 5, 2026, following continued non-compliance, the corporation issued a notice directing that the building be vacated. Later, water and electricity supply to the building was also disconnected in an attempt to evacuate the residents.

Residents dispute civic body's evacuation claims

Despite this, Khan hired a contractor to undertake repair work, apparently to stabilise the building, by erecting external supports, allegedly without obtaining the municipal corporation’s permission.

Some residents, however, disputed the BNMC’s claim that there had been earlier attempts to evacuate the building.

According to Abhay Yadav, a resident of A wing, “I have been living here for seven years and not once were we served a notice to evacuate, nor were our electricity or water connections cut. I even paid last month’s electricity bill. If the power supply had been disconnected, how could I have paid the bill?”

On the nature of the crash, Dr Santosh Chavan, commandant, NDRF, said, “The collapse was of the ‘pancake’ category, and in such collapses, the chances of survival for victims trapped under debris are very thin.”

Ashok Dudhe, additional police commissioner, Thane, said, “We have decided to book the contractor for negligence leading to multiple deaths.”

Vikram Mohite, senior police inspector, Bhoiwada police station, said an FIR was registered late in the evening on Friday against the land owner Bilal Khan and the contractor, identified only as Shankar, under section 105 of the BNS. “Both of them are absconding and efforts are underway to trace them,” Mohite said.

State announces ₹5 lakh compensation

Water resources and disaster management minister Girish Mahajan visited the building collapse site and announced ex-gratia compensation of ₹5 lakh for the next of kin of each of the victims. The deceased have been identified as Krish Kumar, 32, Radheshyam Kushwaha, 45, Ranjit Singh, 45, Meraj Rasool Sheikh, 34, Santosh Kumar Pandey, 42, Shameem Ansari, 30, Rakesh Paswan, 25, Mukesh Paswan, 30, Ashok Paswan, 40, and Shyam Murari Pal.

The three injured have been identified as Abhay Kumar, 24, Deepak Kumar Yadav, 25, and Sangeeta Prajapati, 36.

Bhiwandi mayor Narayan Chaudhary said the civic body has identified 135 dangerously dilapidated structures within the municipal limits. The civic body will start evacuating residents from Sunday, ahead of efforts to demolish these structures.