Chandigarh: The collapse of a three-storey building in Mohali, Punjab, has resulted in two fatalities. Rescuers recovered the body of Abhishek Dhanwal, 29, on Sunday, and Drishti Verma, 20, from Himachal Pradesh, who had been pulled from the rubble in critical condition, succumbed to her injuries on Saturday night after being rushed to the hospital. The building's collapse occurred during unauthorised digging on an adjacent plot, which is owned by one of the building's owners.
Magisterial probe ordered
A magisterial probe has been initiated into the incident, and initial investigations suggest that the digging work was being carried out without the necessary permissions. The two building owners and the contractor responsible for the digging have been booked, and authorities have vowed to take strict action against those found accountable.
Rescue operation ends
The rescue operation, which lasted 23 hours, was led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army, with support from local police, municipal authorities, and the health department. The operation continued overnight, initially fearing that at least five people might be trapped. However, after a thorough scan by the NDRF, it was confirmed that no one else was trapped under the debris.
Officials, including Mohali's officiating deputy commissioner Viraj S Tidke, stated that the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Damandeep Kaur, is leading the investigation and is expected to submit her report within three weeks. The rescue operation was closely monitored by district civil and police officials.
Abhishek's father had earlier reported that his son was missing and unreachable and later confirmed he was found dead. Abhishek, who worked in the IT sector and frequented the gym located in the building, lived nearby.
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Deepak Pareek, revealed that the collapse occurred due to unauthorized digging for a basement construction on an adjacent plot, with no permissions sought or agencies notified. Authorities have pledged to take stringent action against the responsible parties.
A total of 140 NDRF personnel, 167 members of the Army’s 57 Engineers Regiment, and over 300 local police officers participated in the rescue operation.
The incident has drawn criticism from the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, who visited the site. He accused the Mohali district administration of negligence, citing violations in construction rules in the area. Bajwa called for accountability, stressing the need for preventative measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
CM Mann expresses grief
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief about the building collapse in Mohali and said that full administration and rescue teams were deployed on the spot. Mann affirmed that action will be taken against the culprits behind the collapse of this under-construction building. He also said that he is in constant touch with the administration.
ਸਾਹਿਬਜ਼ਾਦਾ ਅਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਗਰ (ਮੁਹਾਲੀ) ‘ਚ ਸੋਹਾਣਾ ਦੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਇੱਕ ਬਹੁ-ਮੰਜ਼ਿਲਾਂ ਇਮਾਰਤ ਹਾਦਸਾਗ੍ਰਸਤ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਦੁਖ਼ਦ ਸੂਚਨਾ ਮਿਲੀ ਹੈ। ਪੂਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਾਸਨ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਬਚਾਅ ਕਾਰਜ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਟੀਮਾਂ ਮੌਕੇ ‘ਤੇ ਤੈਨਾਤ ਨੇ। ਮੈਂ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਾਸਨ ਨਾਲ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਸੰਪਰਕ ‘ਚ ਹਾਂ। ਅਰਦਾਸ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕੋਈ ਜਾਨੀ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਨਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੋਵੇ, ਦੋਸ਼ੀਆਂ ‘ਤੇ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) December 21, 2024
"Received sad news of an accident of a multi-storey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali). Full administration and other rescue operations teams are deployed at the spot. I am in constant touch with the administration. We pray that there is no loss of life and property, action will be taken against the culprits. People are requested to cooperate with the administration," the Chief Minister stated in a post on X on Saturday.
A resident said a loud noise was heard when the building collapsed. Preliminary information suggests that the building collapsed after a basement was dug in a nearby area. Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh, among others, also reached the spot. Singh said, "It is an unfortunate incident. Rescue operation is in full swing." (With inputs from agencies)
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