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One more body was found on Sunday from a three-storey building that collapsed in Punjab’s Mohali, taking the death toll to two, as intensive efforts from various rescue agencies continued in the hope of finding survivors trapped under the rubble.
On Saturday, Drishti Verma, a 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh’s Theog, was rescued from the debris on Saturday in critical condition and was rushed to Sohana Hospital, but succumbed to her injuries.
The building collapsed when some excavation work was going on in the basement of the adjacent building. Officials said a gym was operating on all three floors of the building that collapsed and seven to eight people may be trapped under the debris.
A case was against the building owners, Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh, police said.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, police and district administration are on the spot and are carrying out rescue and relief operations on the site of the accident. Medical teams were also kept on standby.
The Army said several debris clearance machines and earthmovers were deployed at the site. The top portion of the debris was removed and efforts were on to reach the basement, it said.
“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,” Army’s Western Command tweeted.
Several excavators were pressed into service as part of the rescue operation.
DSP Harsimran Singh Bal said, “The clearance operations are ongoing. We registered an FIR under Section 105 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (culpable homicide that does not qualify as murder) against the owners of the building. They are currently on the run.”
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his sorrow at the incident.
“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. Appeal to the people to cooperate with the administration,” he said.
Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek said, “Operation is underway. We have no such estimate as to how many people are trapped there. NDRF, police and fire department teams are at the spot. The reason behind this mishap will be investigated.”
Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh reached the spot to oversee the rescue work.
Kulwant Singh said, “It is an unfortunate incident. Rescue operation is in full swing.”
(with inputs from PTI)
