Three died when a three-story building housing Agarwal Lodge collapsed near the Kotma bus stand in Anuppur district, on Saturday evening. This accident claimed the lives of Hanuman Deen Yadav (55) and his brother-in-law, Ram Kripal Yadav (40), while three other people sustained injuries. On Sunday morning, around 11 am, the body of a woman was recovered. The death toll has now risen to three. The identity of the deceased woman has not yet been established. Rescue operations remain underway till this report being filed. More than 100 personnel - including teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and local agencies - are actively engaged in clearing the debris. Additionally, specialised search teams have been sent from Bhilai and Banaras to assist in the operation. According to eyewitnesses, the building tilted towards a nearby excavation pit before collapsing. Preliminary investigations suggest that a pit approximately 12 feet deep had been dug nearby for construction purposes; it is suspected that water accumulating in this pit may have affected the building’s foundation, thereby weakening it. Police has informed that a case has been registered at the Kotma police station against the landowner, Rajiv Garg, and the lodge owner, Lallu Lal Agarwal, under Sections 290 and 106 of the BNS. Meanwhile, questions have also been raised regarding the validity of the construction permits. Kotma Municipal Council officers have stated that the actual situation will become clear only after a thorough review of the relevant documents.

 

 

Rs 9 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh each for those injured in the incident. Contd from page 1 An NDRF team, dispatched from Banaras, reached the spot and is actively engaged in the rescue operation. With the assistance of a dog squad, a search is being conducted for individuals buried beneath the rubble; however, due to the large volume of debris and the depth of the excavation pit, the search dogs are repeatedly returning to their handlers. While the administration is utilising Poclain excavators to clear the debris, they are simultaneously deploying the dog squad for searches at regular intervals to ensure that any individual buried deep within the wreckage can be located. According to eyewitness the building collapsed sideways, tilting into the adjacent excavation pit. Following the accident, the entire area became engulfed in dust and smoke, and the air was filled with screams and cries for help. Locals reported that trapped people screaming for help can be heard coming from beneath the rubble. The rescue operations are proceeding under the directives issued by the district administration. Shops at the Kotma bus stand remained closed on Sunday as well, due to ongoing debris clearance and barricading operations. Locals believe that the closure of the market on Saturday - along with repair work being carried out at the lodge - helped to keep the loss of life at the minimum. Had the market been open, the casualty count could have been significantly higher.