Chandigarh, December 22 (IANS). A three-storey building collapsed in Mohali, Punjab on Saturday evening, and people are said to be still trapped under the debris. The death of a 20-year-old girl has been confirmed in the accident.
According to NDRF officials, five people were buried under the debris of a gym building in Sector 77 when the building collapsed due to excavation work in the basement.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Viraj S. Tidke said 20-year-old Drishti Verma, a resident of Theog in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh, was pulled out by rescue workers and later died in the hospital.
Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek told the media that the police have registered a case against the building owners Parvinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh under section 105 of the Indian Judicial Code.
Sukhjinder Singh, who lives in the neighbourhood, said, “The building collapsed around 5:00 pm yesterday. It is a three-storey building and a small PG was also built on top of it. During the collapse of the building, first there was a strong vibration and then the building collapsed. There was a gym at the bottom of the building.”
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh reached the spot to take stock of the rescue operation.
A contingent of the Indian Army with special engineering equipment was deployed as early as 7.30 pm on Saturday. The Western Command said that the Indian Army was prompt in the rescue operations. In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, Army troops along with NDRF and state rescue teams have been working tirelessly to tackle the crisis.
Engineer task force with debris removal machine and JCB is present on the spot. Debris has been removed from above and efforts are being made to reach the basement. Acting Deputy Commissioner said that as soon as information about the disaster was received in the evening, district officials reached the spot and started the rescue operation with the help of local people and other departments.
He said Senior Superintendent of Police Pareek was also among the first officers to reach the spot and took the initiative to ensure that rescue efforts began. Tidke said the district administration sent a message to the Pinjore-based National Disaster Response Force and also informed the Indian Army’s Western Command to step up rescue operations with the NDRF. He said that the district administration is making every possible effort to save every person trapped under the debris. The operation will continue round the clock until all people are rescued.
Expressing grief over the accident, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in X Post, “Sad news has been received about the collapse of a multi-storey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Mohali. The entire administration and other rescue teams are deployed on the spot. I am with the administration. I am in constant touch.”
A local resident said that when the building collapsed, a very loud noise was heard.
–IANS
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