Mohali Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 2, Several Feared Trapped As Rescue Ops Continue; Owner Booked
Mohali Building Collapse: Two people, including a 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh, have died, and several others are feared trapped after a three-storey building collapsed in Mohali, Punjab, on Saturday, officials informed.
The collapse occurred during excavation work in the basement of an adjacent building, as reported by India Today.
Drishti Verma, a resident of Theog, was pulled from the debris in critical condition on Saturday and rushed to Sohana Hospital, according to Viraj S Tidke, officiating deputy commissioner. Tragically, Verma succumbed to her injuries. On Sunday, rescue teams recovered another body from the rubble as operations continued.
Officials stated that a gym operated on all three floors of the building, with an estimated seven to eight people potentially trapped beneath the debris. Police have filed a case against the building’s owners, Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh.
“The clearance operations are ongoing. We have registered an FIR under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the owners of the building, who are currently absconding,” DSP Harsimran Singh Bal said.
Rescue efforts are being led by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, police, and district administration, with medical teams on standby.
The Army reported deploying several debris clearance machines and earthmovers to the site. Efforts to remove the top layers of debris and reach the basement are ongoing.
The Indian Army reacted swiftly to the rescue. In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, Indian Army columns along with NDRF and state rescue teams have been relentlessly working to address the crisis. Engineer Task Force with debris clearance machines and JCBs are operational at the site. Top debris is removed, and efforts are being made to reach the basement,” tweeted the Army’s Western Command.
Excavators were also deployed as part of the rescue mission. A local resident described hearing a loud noise at the time of the collapse.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his condolences and assured action against those responsible.
“Sad news has been received that a multi-storey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) has collapsed. The entire administration and other rescue teams have been deployed at the spot. I am in constant touch with the administration,” he tweeted.
“We will also take action against the culprits. I appeal to the people to cooperate with the administration,” he added.
Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek said, “The operation is underway. We have no precise estimate of how many people are trapped. NDRF, police, and fire department teams are at the spot. The reason for this mishap will be investigated.”
Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh visited the site to oversee the rescue efforts.
Kulwant Singh remarked, “It is an unfortunate incident. The rescue operation is in full swing.”
