1 dead in Mohali building collapse, multi-agency rescue op underway

DSP (City-2) H S Bal told The Indian Express a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered against the building owners Parminder Singh and Gagandeep Singh. The police had not been able to trace either of the two owners till the filing of this report. Their phones were switched off. The phone of the gym trainer, Maninder Singh, was also switched off, said the police.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain confirmed that one woman pulled out of the debris was declared dead at a private hospital in Sohana.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Viraj S Tidke told The Indian Express that the woman had been identified as Drishti, a resident of Himachal Pradesh. He said another person was suspected to be buried under the debris and the NDRF and Army teams were trying to locate and rescue him. There was no confirmation about the number of persons trapped under the debris till late Saturday night.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “Sad news has been received that a multistorey 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.”

Mohali Municipal Corporation Commissioner T Benith said, “The incident happened as the owner was digging a basement in the adjoining plot with a JCB. He did not take any permission from us.”