Times press collapse: Death toll rises to 7

Police file case against the Mumbai-based construction company

The Ahmedabad Fire Brigade on Tuesday afternoon called off the search and rescue operations at the Times of India building collapse site even as the death toll in the mishap reached seven.

The building, under construction for the last four months, came crashing down late on Monday evening burying the workers under the debris.

Meanwhile, the Satellite police have registered a case against Sharad Constructions, the firm that was handling the construction of the building that was to house the new printing press of the Times of India.

Based on a complaint by Parvat Rupa Parmar, one of the injured construction workers, the police has lodged a complaint against two persons Kiritbhai and Rupinbhai.

"They are the builders and promoters of the company, but no arrests have been made as yet," said a cop posted at the Satellite police station.

Inspector of Satellite police station, R K Patel, who heads the investigation, could not be reached for comments.

I K Jadeja, state urban development minister, who is also the spokesperson of Narendra Modi government, visited the site late on Monday.

When contacted, Kingshuk Nag, Editor (Ahmedabad Market) of Times of India, said, "We have issued a showcause notice to Mumbai-based Sharad Constructions on Tuesday. We have not yet filed a complaint with the police against the construction company.

"There was an apprehension earlier that eight persons have lost their lives. But but finally, the death toll stands at seven, while 19 workers were injured."

Nag also said that Sharad Constructions have announced ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the dead and a compensation of Rs 50,000 for each of the 19 injured.

A source close to Ahmedabad City Police, however, said, "While we are going to probe role of the construction company which was assigned by Times of India to erect the structure on a turnkey basis, we may even register a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the construction company. If need be, we may even call the Times of India officials for investigating further."

The building situated at Vejalpur area of the city collapsed on Monday night.

"We have called off the search and rescue operations, although one fire tender and some personnel are posted at the site. It is now for the construction company to verify if any labourers are still missing," divisional fire officer, Mehernosh Dastur, said on Tuesday.

Fire Brigade officials here said that according to initial findings, it appears as if the method being deployed in construction of the building was flawed.

"Work was on simultaneously for constructing the pillars of the second floor of the building as well as the roof of the second floor. The newly constructed pillars and beams must not have been able to withstand the weight of the roof," said a fire brigade official.

"The construction company will now remove the rubble and debris from the site. The company will now have to co-ordinate with the police as far as verifying whether any persons are still missing," said Dastur.