Sunil Shitap held, compensation raised to Rs 5 lakh

The death toll in the Sai Siddhi building collapse in Ghatkopar rose to 17, and the number of injured stood at 14, as rescue operations at the site were finally called off on Wednesday evening after five more victims were brought out dead from the rubble and two injured were rescued during the overnight operations.

Local Shiv Sena strongman Sunil Shitap, accused of causing the building collapse by carrying out unauthorized alterations on the ground floor, was formally arrested in the early hours of Wednesday after an FIR was registered against him under sections 304 (II) (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced at Vikhroli court, where he was remanded to police custody till August 2.

The Parksite police are now on the lookout for a contractor, an architect and labourers involved in the renovation of the ground floor of the building.

From the debris at the collapse site, the police have found iron rods that are suspected to have been used as props for the beams while the renovation was being carried out.

Such props are used to provide support at sites where there is a possibility of a slab collapse, police sources said. This, police officers said, indicated that Shitap and the contractors involved were aware that the work being carried out could weaken the building structure.

According to the remand application filed by the police in court, Shitap was the secretary of the housing society and its members had repeatedly asked him not to carry out the renovation on the ground floor. Shitap, however, threatened them with goons.

Among the two survivors rescued in the overnight operations was Rajesh Doshi, 57, who had used his mobile phone six hours after the building collapsed, to call a family member and say that he was trapped in the debris. He was rescued at around 1:00 am on Wednesday, after being found with his legs trapped under a slab.

Early in the morning, survivors and their relatives started gathering at the collapse site to look for their belongings in the rubble. More than 66 dumper trucks full of debris were removed from the site.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the next-of-kin of the 17 deceased. He increased the ex-gratia amount from Rs. 2 lakhs announced in the State Assembly after a demand by Leader of the Opposition in the legislative council Dhananjay Munde. He also announced that those who have suffered major injuries leading to permanent disability would be compensated with Rs. 1 lakh each. The Chief Minister, however, made it clear that this announcement would not change the standing order on compensation in such incidents.

Fadnavis also announced that the inquiry into the incident would be headed by an IAS officer and would be completed within a fortnight.