The Karnataka Police on Wednesday confirmed the deaths of at least five labourers after the collapse of an under-construction building in Bengaluru a day earlier, The Indian Express reported.
Two or three more persons are believed to be trapped under debris, unidentified police officers said, adding that rescue operations were underway.
The incident occurred in the city’s Babusapalya area at around 3.40 pm amid heavy rainfall. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) D Devaraj said about 20 people were trapped when the building collapsed, of whom 13 were rescued.
The labourers who died have been identified as 26-year-old Arman, 35-year-old Tripal, 19-year-old Mohammed Sahil, 25-year-old Sathya Raju and Shankar, the police said. Arman, Tripal and Sahil were from Bihar.
Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar visited the site on Tuesday and said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had issued three notices related to violations in the construction of the building, The Indian Express reported.
“I was told that there was no permission given [for the construction],” he told reporters. “Illegal activities were going on. We will take strict action against the owner, contractor and everyone.”
He added that all “illegal” constructions in Bengaluru would be “stopped immediately”.
A preliminary investigation suggested that Muniraju Reddy from Andhra Pradesh owned the building, The Indian Express reported, quoting unidentified officials. Muniraju Reddy’s son, Mohan Reddy, who stayed in Malleswaram in the city, was overseeing the construction, the officials added.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, who also visited the site of the collapse, alleged shoddy construction work and claimed that the owner did not have permission to build six floors.
“The civic agency had issued permission to build four floors but the owner has constructed six floors,” The Indian Express quoted the legislator from Krishnarajapuram as saying. “The police will initiate appropriate action.”
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said it was “unfortunate” that the state government did not know that unauthorised constructions were taking place in Bengaluru, ANI reported.
“The Karnataka government of the Congress party, which is neck deep in corruption, has caused a bad name to Silicon Valley,” Bhandari said. “This is akin to murder, and the state is accountable for it.”
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