Ghaziabad building collapse: NDRF completes rescue ops, 2 dead, 8 injured

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) today completed the rescue operations of the five-storey building that had collapsed here killing two persons and injuring another eight, officials said, adding that four supervisors of the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) have been suspended.

Trapped under the debris of the under-construction building that came down like a pack of cards yesterday in Akash Nagar colony of Dasna Masuri, the eight injured were admitted to a hospital, a police official said.

"At least 8 injured persons who were trapped under the debris were rescued, while 2 died," senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vaibhav Krishna said.

An FIR was lodged against the errant builders Kishan Pal Tomar and Mukesh Singh along with Dinesh Kumar, the owner of the land on which the illegal construction was going on, he added.

To probe the incident a special investigating team (SIT) has been formed and legal action will be initiated against the culprits. The government officers who were hand in gloves with the builders and land owner will also face prosecution. They will be nabbed soon, assured Krishna.

The report on the magisterial inquiry carried out in the incident was submitted by Additional district magistrate (Finance and revenue) Sunil Kumar Singh this evening.

In the wake of the investigation report, the district magistrate and vice chairperson of GDA Ritu Maheshwari sent a recommendation to the government to initiate action against assistant engineer of GDA Nishant Kumar and junior engineers T N Singh, Rama Kant Tiwari, Rameshwer Sharma, Kamaldeep, Arun Kumar and Adarsh Bhatnagar for dereliction of duty.

In addition, three supervisors and a workmate have been suspended and show-cause notices were issued to three supervisors. All those involved in the illegal construction of the collapsed building will be booked under the NSA, the official said.

Meanwhile, around 64 illegally constructed buildings in 8 zones of GDA have been sealed, Maheshwari said.