A developer and his two brokers have been arrested for the collapse of two buildings in Greater Noida, killing at least three persons and trapping several others under the debris, police said today.
Two six-storey buildings collapsed in Noida Extension’s Shahberi village late on Tuesday, leaving several people trapped under a huge mass of concrete rubble. One of the buildings was under construction and fell on the other, rescuers and local residents said, triggering a collective collapse.
A family of four and some labourers are still missing in the buildings collapse.
While two bodies of men were pulled out of the rubble late last night, another body of a woman was pulled out this morning, police said.
Inspector General of Police, Meerut Zone, Ram Kumar said the owner of the land, Ganga Sharan Dwivedi, and two others -- Dinesh and Sanjay -- were arrested.
An FIR under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) were lodged at the Bisrakh police station against 18 persons in connection with the incident, the IG added.
NDRF Director General, ADG Meerut, IG Meerut and other officials have visited the spot and directed the workers to expedite rescue works
Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were assisting the police personnel and fire-fighters in the ongoing rescue operations, the CFO said.
Those involved in the rescue operations were facing difficulties because of the narrow lanes in the area and a huge crowd that had gathered there, he added.
Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate (DM) B N Singh has ordered a probe into the incident.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the DM to monitor the relief-and-rescue operations.
DGP O P Singh had informed the chief minister about the rescue operations.