Building collapse: Rescue operation ends

Rescue workers ended their operation today at Shahberi village in Greater Noida where two adjacent buildings collapsed on Tuesday night, killing nine people, officials said.

"The search operation has been completed and the debris cleared. No more bodies were found in the rubble," National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Deputy Commandant Rajkamal Malik told PTI.

The operation ended around 5 p.m., after a continuous search for survivors that lasted about 65 hours.

Nobody was brought out alive from the rubble, but workers pulled out nine bodies, including that of a toddler.

The last body was retrieved from the rubble yesterday morning, while the other eight were pulled out by Wednesday night.

"The search has been completed and the police have certified it. No more bodies were found," Deputy Superintendent of Police Awneesh Kumar said.

A six-floor under-construction building had crashed on a five-storey building next to it in Shahberi village under Bisrakh police station area around 9.30 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Since then Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, firemen, policemen and paramedics had been at the site, with the NDRF leading the operation.

The NDRF, which took over the rescue work shortly after the two buildings collapsed, deployed heavy machines to clear the tonnes of rubble.

Sniffer dogs were brought in to detect signs of life under the debris.

Five NDRF teams, adding up to over 200 personnel, were pressed into service late on Tuesday night, Malik said.

Five people have been arrested among the 25 named in the FIR.

Raids are being conducted to nab the other accused who are absconding," said Bisrakh station house officer Akhilesh Tripathi.

Charges include culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Authorities are now identifying buildings which have been illegally constructed in Shahberi village, an official said.

A magisterial inquiry was ordered on Wednesday.

Officer on Special Duty in Greater Noida Development Authority, Vibha Chahal, has been removed from her post.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also ordered the suspension of two other officials, project manager V P Singh and assistant project manager Akhtar Abbas Zaidi, for dereliction of duty.