8 children die in Mumbai structure collapse, police to register case against building owner

“Three of the deceased, aged 8, 9 and 13, were identified so far, while the eight other victims were yet to be identified," BMC official said.

Pic Courtesy: Reuters

New Delhi: At least eight children and three adults were killed after a single-storey residential building collapsed on another structure in Malwani area of Mumbai.

“Three of the deceased, aged 8, 9 and 13, were identified so far, while the eight other victims were yet to be identified,” a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official told PTI.     

He further informed that out of the seven others injured, the condition of one of them was critical. 

The incident occurred around 11.15 pm on Wednesday at the New Collector Compound on Abdul Hamid Road. People rescued from under the debris have been admitted to nearby hospitals. 

The search and rescue operations are undergoing as some people are still feared to be trapped under the rubble, the civic and fire brigade officials told the news agency. 

The Mumbai Police has decided to lodge a case against the contractor and owner of the building which collapsed on Wednesday night. 

"Mumbai Police to register case u/s 304 (2) of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the owner of structure that collapsed and the contractor. They had recently made some structural changes after cyclone Tauktae," Vishwas Nangre Patil, Jt CP (Law & Order) was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh blamed the incessant rains for the building collapses. "Buildings have collapsed due to rain. Rescue operation is underway. Injured people have been shifted to the hospital. Debris of the buildings being removed to see if more people are stuck under it," he told ANI. 

With the onset of monsoon on Wednesday (June 9) in Maharashtra, heavy downpour disrupted life in Mumbai and caused several incidents of landslide, wall and bridge collapse in Thane city and neighbouring Palghar districts. The deluge lashed Mumbai and brought the city to a standstill. It disrupted local train services, led to water-logging in various parts of the city, pushing the traffic police to shut four subways.

(With inputs from agencies)