A building collapse in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh on February 1, injured many while the death toll rose to seven on Thursday. Three more labourers succumbed to their injuries, while nearly 29 people, including women and children, are feared trapped under the rubble of the six-floor building that collapsed on Wednesday, according to reports.
The under construction building collapsed in the Jajmau area of Kanpur. A 3-year-old girl along with her father were rescued alive from the debris. Both father and the daughter sustained minor injuries, as confirmed by a senior rescue official.
The building, was owned by Samajwadi Party leader Mehtaab Aalam. Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) OSD D D Verma has complained to Chakeri Police that Mehtab Alam was getting the building illegally constructed and for which KDA had served him a notice on November 23, 2016, senior superintendent of Police Aakash Kulhari said.
But as Alam did not reply to the notice, the said building was sealed by the KDA on December 26, last year. However, the construction was yesterday again started after illegally breaking the seal, he said quoting the complaint.
On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was last night registered against Alam and his contractor under relevant sections of IPC including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Kulhari said.
All through the night, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, who were rushed in from Varanasi and Lucknow, continued their relief and rescue operations.The Army was also helping, a district official informed. But since the building is located in a narrow lane, rescue work was hampered.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajesh Modak confirmed the exact number of dead. While the injured could be ascertained only after sometime as many more are feared to be trapped under the rubble.
