Bhiwandi building collapse: Case registered against owner, contractor

Bhiwandi: A case has been registered on Saturday against the owner of the building that collapsed in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi and the contractor involved in repair work, as the death toll in the tragedy rose to nine.

Authorities have initiated legal action against those allegedly responsible for constructing and maintaining the structure, which had previously been declared unsafe by the local civic body.

According to officials, a case has been filed against building owner Bilal Ahmed Abu Bakar Khan, who allegedly constructed the building without obtaining the necessary permissions, and contractor Ashok, who was carrying out repair work on the building’s pillars. The case has been registered under Sections 105 and 125(A) and (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Sections 52 and 53 of the MRTP Act.

The complaint was lodged by Faisal Abdul Qayyum Tatli (51), In-charge Assistant Commissioner (Unauthorized Construction) of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation.

The tragic incident occurred late on Thursday night when a portion of the four-storey Kohinoor Building in Bhiwandi’s Balaji Nagar area collapsed while repair work was reportedly underway. The collapse triggered panic among residents and led to a massive rescue operation involving multiple emergency response agencies.

According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the death toll has climbed to nine after additional bodies were recovered from the debris. Rescue operations are still underway amid concerns that more people may be trapped beneath the rubble.

Officials said the collapse occurred at around 11:30 p.m. The building contained 48 rooms, with 12 rooms on each floor, and had earlier been declared dangerous by municipal authorities due to its deteriorating condition.

Municipal officials stated that residents began hearing loud cracking sounds from the structure at around 9 p.m. on Thursday. Sensing danger, local residents quickly alerted occupants and assisted several families in evacuating the building.

However, while some residents were still attempting to leave, the building’s ‘B’ wing suddenly gave way, trapping several people under the debris. The collapse prompted an immediate rescue effort by the NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local authorities and volunteers.

Deepak Kumar Yadav, who survived the incident, told IANS, “Repair work was being carried out on the pillars of a nearby section of the building. After dinner, we had gone to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud crashing sound. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life.”

Neha Singh, who has been searching for her husband since the collapse, said, “He had gone downstairs saying he needed to check something. Barely 10 minutes later, the building collapsed. Some repair work was going on there. I was unwell and had remained upstairs. My husband, Ranjeet Singh, has been missing since then. His phone is ringing, but he is not answering.”

Another survivor, Sangeeta Prajapati, said she was standing in the parking area when she heard cracking sounds from the structure. “I tried to run, but the building collapsed while I was fleeing. I suffered injuries in the incident,” she said.

Abhay Kumar Yadav also recalled the terrifying moments before the collapse. “We were in our room after dinner when we heard a loud noise. We immediately tried to escape, but there was no clear exit route, so I jumped from the first floor. I fractured my leg. Later, local residents brought a ladder, which helped others climb down safely,” he said.

IANS