15 killed after 'unauthorized' building collapses in Virar; builder arrested
What's the story
A four-story illegal building in Virar, Maharashtra, collapsed early Wednesday morning, killing at least 15 people. The incident occurred at 12:05am when the rear portion of the structure fell on an adjacent vacant chawl. The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) had declared the building illegal. Among those killed were a woman and her one-year-old daughter, while six others remain critically injured.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations on 'war footing'
Rescue operations have been underway for over 20 hours with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and civic authorities involved in clearing the debris. Initially, the operation was delayed due to the building's congested location but has now moved on to using heavy machinery. District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar said that some people could still be trapped under the rubble.
Victim details
Families provided with food, medical aid
Authorities have so far identified seven victims of the incident. These include Arohi Omkar Jovil (24), her daughter Utkarsha (1), Laxman Kisku Singh (26), Dinesh Prakash Sapkal (43), Supriya Nivalkar (38), Arnav Nivalkar (11) and Parvati Sapkal. The collapse has left several families homeless, who have been shifted to Chandansar Samajmandir, where they are being provided food, water and medical aid.
Legal proceedings
Builder arrested
The builder of the collapsed structure, Nital Gopinath Sane, has been arrested after a complaint was filed by the VVMC. A case has also been registered against the landowner under sections 52, 53 and 54 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act and section 105 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. VVMC Assistant Commissioner Gilson Gonsalves said debris clearance is now "progressing on a war footing."