Dharwad: An FIR has been registered against the building owners after the under-construction building collapsed earlier this week, police said on Friday. The tragic incident claimed the lives of 14 people.
Read:|Death toll mounts to 10 in Karnataka's Dharwad building collapse
Karnataka police stated that an FIR was lodged against the building owners identified as Ravi Basavaraj Sabarad, Basavaraj D Nigadi, Gangappa S Shintri and Mahabaleshwar Puradagudi.
All four owners have surrendered before the police, an official said.
FIR was also filed against engineer Vivek Pawar who was allegedly involved in the construction work of the Dharwad building located in Kumareshwar Nagar.
Pawar has been taken into custody, police said.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday visited the collapse site. Speaking to media, Kumaraswamy said over 10 people are suspected to be trapped under the debris.
"It is suspected that more than ten workers are still trapped under the debris and 14 deaths have been announced officially so far. The district administration has already announced magistrate inquiry, and the government is ready to appoint a retired High Court judge if required," he added.
Meanwhile, Dharwad sub-division Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Kumar said that 14 people died as a result of the mishap, adding that rescue operation is still underway at the site and an another man has been rescued on Friday morning.
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"Over 56 people have been rescued, more than 11 are missing and 14 dead. At least 400 staff comprising NDRF, SDRF, Police, and Revenue Department are involved in the rescue operation," he told reporters.
The building, located in Kumareshwar Nagar, collapsed on March 19, following which the Indian Air Force airlifted two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to Karnataka's Hubli to assist in rescue operations.
