Excavators clear the rubble on Friday. The under-construction apartment building in eastern Bengaluru’s Babusapalya collapsed on Tuesday.
Credit: DH PHOTO/BK JANARDHAN
Bengaluru: Three days after the Babusapalya building collapse, the rescue team recovered another body on Friday, bringing the death toll to nine.
A senior police officer overseeing the case confirmed that the last missing person, Elumalai — a recent contractor also named in the FIR — was found around 10:40 am. Following the retrieval, authorities called off rescue operations to focus on clearing the debris.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda announced that investigations would intensify now that rescue efforts have concluded.
Earlier, the police arrested property owners Muni Reddy and his son Bhuvan Reddy, along with Muniappa, the contractor responsible for construction up to the fourth floor. The suspects have undergone initial questioning, and officials are gathering documents on the building’s construction for further investigation.
The under-construction seven-storey building in Babusapalya, East Bengaluru, collapsed on October 22 around 3.40 pm. In response, the NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire services launched a coordinated rescue operation, saving 14 people.
However, nine construction workers, including Elumalai, perished in the disaster. The deceased have been identified as Arman, 26; Sri Ran Kirupal, 35; Mohamed Sahil, 19; Solo Paswan from Bihar; Manikantan and Satyaraju, 25, from Tamil Nadu; Tulasi Reddy from Andhra Pradesh; and Pulchan Yadav from Uttar Pradesh.
Five more workers remain hospitalised with injuries. Among them, Mohammad Arshad filed a police complaint alleging substandard construction materials and lack of safety protocols to cut costs.
An FIR was registered under several BNS sections, including 100 (culpable homicide), 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 125 (a and b) (acts endangering life or safety), along with BBMP Act sections 326, 327, and 328. The Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act’s Section 3 (prior registration requirement) was also invoked.
In addition, the Karnataka Lokayukta has initiated suo motu action against BBMP officials responsible for the accident.