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8 killed in building collapse; owner, contractor arrested
Seven more bodies were recovered on Wednesday from the under-construction building that collapsed near Hennur a day before, taking the toll to eight even as rescue operations continued
Seven more bodies were recovered on Wednesday from the under-construction building that collapsed near Hennur locality a day before, taking the toll to eight even as rescue operations continued at the site. Earlier in the day, police arrested the building owner and detained its contractor.
The multi-storey under-construction building collapsed in Hennur area of Bengaluru around 4 pm on Tuesday.
“Around 15-20 labourers were living in the building, and there were others in nearby sheds. Our efforts are concentrated on getting them out safely,” director general of fire services Prashant Kumar Thakur said, adding that five people are still feared to be trapped.
Confirming two arrests in the case, deputy commissioner of police (East) D Devaraj said: “The owner, Bhuvan Reddy, has been arrested, and the contractor Muniyappa, who was responsible for constructing four floors of the building, has been taken into custody. We are investigating to determine whether any violations occurred during its construction.”
Based on a complaint filed by one of the labourers, the Hennur police have registered a case against the two accused under BNS sections 100 (culpable homicide), 125 (rash and negligent act to endanger human life), 270 (public nuisance), and sections of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA).
Authorities have identified the deceased as Armaan, Mohammad Sahil, Sri Ran Kirupal and Solo Paswan from Bihar, and Manikantanan and Satyaraju from Tamil Nadu, and Tulsai Reddy and Pulchan Yadav from Andhra Pradesh — all labourers employed at the construction site. Two other workers — Gajendra and Yelumalai — remain missing.
The injured workers — Jagadevi (45), Rasheed (28), Nagaraju (25), Ramesh Kumar (28), Harman (22), and Ayaj — were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Rescue personnel have rescued 14 people, so far.
“The police control room received the information at 4pm on Tuesday, and the fire control room received it at 5pm. After we were informed of the collapse, fire tenders and personnel were rushed to the spot. Teams from the SDRF and NDRF were also called to the site. We are currently waiting for professional concrete cutters to remove the debris and continue the rescue operations,” Thakur added. He said that a full assessment of the casualties would be made after the completion of the rescue operation.
Speaking to reporters, Vakeel Paswan, a labourer who managed to escape by jumping from the collapsing building, recounted his harrowing experience. “Out of the four of us, three managed to escape, but the fourth one got stuck. I was unable to understand what was happening at the time. I was working on the sixth floor. I worked as a labourer and lived here as well,” he said.
Later in the day, deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar visited the site of the collapse and promised strict action against those responsible. He said the building was constructed on a 60/40 site without the necessary permissions for additional floors.
“I was told that this is an illegal construction without proper permissions. Strict action will be taken against the builder, contractor, and everyone involved. I have ordered the officials to identify similar illegal constructions across the city and stop them immediately,” he said.
He added that the government would intensify its crackdown on unauthorised buildings and ensure that safety standards are strictly enforced.
