The last body identified as Elumalai being recovered.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Three days after the Babusapalya building collapse mishap, the rescue team on Friday retrieved the body of one more construction worker, taking the death toll to nine.
A senior police officer, overseeing the case said that the last person-- Elumalai, suspected to be buried in the debris -- was retrieved around 10.40 am. The deceased was the latest building contractor and was also named in the FIR. Police said that the rescue operations were called off on Friday afternoon, facilitating debris clearance.
Bengaluru police commissioner, B Dayananda, said that they would focus on investigations after ending the rescue operations.
On Wednesday, police arrested the owners of the property, Muni Reddy and his son Bhuvan Reddy. One Muniappa, who was the contractor until construction of the fourth floor of the building, was also arrested.
Police have completed the first round of questioning of the suspects. They are gathering documents related to the building and construction to proceed with further investigations.
The ground plus six-floor under construction building in eastern Bengaluru’s Babusapalya collapsed on October 22 around 3.40 pm. NDRF, along with SDRF, police, fire, and emergency services, launched a search operation, and fourteen people were rescued.
However, nine construction workers, including Elumalai, trapped in the debris were found dead. All the bodies have been retrieved, according to the police.
The deceased have been identified as Arman, 26; Sri Ran Kirupal, 35; Mohamed Sahil, 19; and Solo Paswan from Bihar; Manikantan and Satyaraju, 25, from Tamil Nadu; Tulasi Reddy from Andhra Pradesh; and Pulchan Yadav from Uttar Pradesh.
Five more injured are receiving treatment at three different hospitals in the city.
Mohammad Arshad, one of the injured construction workers, filed a police complaint on Tuesday alleging cheap construction materials were used to “save money” and no safety protocols were ensured.
An FIR was filed under BNS Sections 100 (culpable homicide), 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 125(a and b) (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 270 (public nuisance). Sections 326 (violation of act), 327 (violation of rules), and 328 (violation of regulations) of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act and Section 3 (prior registration of a real estate project) of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act were also invoked.
A suo motu action against the responsible BBMP officials was also initiated by the Karnataka Lokayukta.