Death toll in Punjab building collapse rises to two

Chandigarh: Rescuers involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army on Sunday began the operation on the second day as a few people were believed to be trapped in the debris of a four-storey building that collapsed in Punjab's Mohali town.

One male body was recovered on Sunday, Subdivisional Magistrate Damandeep Kaur said, adding the victim has been identified as Abhishek Dhanwal, hailing from Ambala.

Earlier, a 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh died in the incident on Saturday.

According to NDRF officials, people were buried under the debris when the structure of a gym collapsed owing to digging in an adjacent building’s basement in Sector 77, officials said.

The debris of two floors has been cleared, a senior police official told the media at the disaster spot. He said they got information of two missing people but they would continue with the rescue and search operation, Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek told the media.

Drishti Verma, 20, a resident of Theog in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district, was pulled out by rescuers and later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital, said Viraj S. Tidke, officiating Deputy Commissioner.

The police have booked the building owners -- Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh -- under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

One column of the Army with specialist engineering equipment has been deployed for rescue operation since 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. The Western Command said the Army reacted swiftly to the rescue.

In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, the Army columns along with the NDRF and the state rescue teams have been relentlessly working to address the crisis. The Engineer Task Force with debris clearance machine is operational at the site.

Top debris was removed and efforts are being made to reach the basement.

The officiating Deputy Commissioner said as soon as the disaster was reported in the evening, district officials rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation with the help of locals and other departments.

He said Senior Superintendent of Police Pareek was also among the first officers who arrived at the site and took the initiative to ensure the start of rescue efforts.

Tidke said the district administration sent a message to the NDRF based at Pinjore and in addition intimation to the Western Command of the Army to augment the rescue operation.

He said the district administration has been making all-out efforts to rescue every single person trapped in the debris.

He said all requisite equipment and machinery have also been made available.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has spoken with the district administration about the ongoing rescue works and directed us to make all possible efforts to rescue the victims. Also, Member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang and local MLA Kulwant Singh were at the site on Saturday to oversee the rescue work.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav also took stock of the rescue work and directed the local police to ensure the safety of victims at all costs.

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the rescue work would continue till the safe return of all victims and duty magistrates Tehsildar Arjun Singh Grewal and Navpreet Singh Shergill have been deputed to assist the rescue teams and the police.