Ludhiana factory collapse: 2 workers’ bodies pulled out in overnight operation; owner among 4 booked

The Ludhiana police registered an FIR against four people—the factory owner, supervisor, contractor and a crane operator—for culpable homicide. Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said that a magisterial inquiry has been initiated.

The accident occurred at the Kohli Dyeing Unit, where, according to the police, work was ongoing to repair the building. The structure collapsed while JCB machines were being operated.

The FIR has been registered under section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against factory owner Neeraj Kapoor, supervisor Teerath Lal, contractor Pargat Singh, and crane operator Avtar Singh. (Express photo/ Gurmeet Singh)

Inspector Amandeep Singh Brar, SHO of the Focal Point police station, identified the deceased workers as Jatinder Kumar, 27, a native of Bihar; and Bunty, from Haibowal, Ludhiana.

“Prima facie, the incident happened due to negligence during construction work. We have arrested factory supervisor Teerath Lal, while three other accused also sustained injuries and are admitted to the hospital,” said the SHO.

The FIR has been registered under section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against factory owner Neeraj Kapoor, supervisor Teerath Lal, contractor Pargat Singh, and crane operator Avtar Singh.

“Kapoor was running the factory on land owned by his maternal uncle. Other details will become clear once we investigate further. The priority was to conduct rescue operations and save lives,” said the SHO.

The FIR states that Kapoor, along with Lal, was overseeing the construction work and had hired contractor Pargat Singh and crane operator Avtar Singh, who began work with the JCB machines. However, as soon as they started, the already dilapidated building collapsed. The accident occurred due to their negligence, as they allegedly failed to take adequate safety measures for the workers inside.

Three teams from the National Disaster Response Force, along with local police, the fire brigade, the municipal corporation and factory departments, have been working at the site for the last 21 hours, Jorwal said. They have successfully rescued some workers. However, due to the substantial amount of debris, rescue teams are required to remove it carefully using manual equipment to reach the trapped workers.

At the time of the collapse, only seven workers were inside. (Express photo/ Gurmeet Singh)

The deputy commissioner further said that, according to the building owner, 29 workers were present in the unit on Saturday. At the time of the collapse, only seven workers were inside.

Jorwal said that a magisterial probe, led by the subdivisional magistrate (east), has been ordered into the incident. The government will cover the medical expenses for the injured workers, and adequate compensation will be provided to the families of the deceased, he added.

DCP Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said, “Prima facie, some sort of negligence during construction work led to the unfortunate incident. Now that the rescue is over, the focus will be on the probe.”