Maharashtra: Building collapse kills five in Amravati city, owner of shop booked

A police officer from Kotwali police station said, “The municipality had declared the structure dilapidated and had served notice in 2020. A few months ago, the first floor and second floor were vacated and demolished. Some parts of the structure remained. Two shops were converted into a bag manufacturing shop and the five men were present there when the building collapsed thereby killing them. The other shops were vacant.”

Police said that an FIR has been registered for causing death due to negligence under Section 304 A of the IPC against the owner shop because he employed the five knowing well that the structure is dilapidated.

Shiva Ade, superintendent of the Amravati city fire brigade said, “More than 25 personnel from the fire brigade and a disaster team from the Collector’s Office were involved in rescue operations. Soon after the building collapsed locals rescued a man and a woman. We used a JCB machine to remove the debris and pulled out five men and rushed them to the hospital.” The men were declared dead at the hospital.

Taking note of the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised compensation and treatment to the injured.

“The divisional commissioner has been ordered to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. I offer my heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives in this incident. We all share in the grief of his family. Chief Minister Shinde has decided to give Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Also, the state government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured,” he said.