GHAZIABAD: A 27-year-old labourer died and five others were injured after the roof of an under-construction godown collapsed on them in Nandgram area of Ghaziabad on Saturday afternoon. Initial investigation revealed that the godown was being constructed illegally and its layout map was not approved by the Ghaziabad Development Authority.
The man who died was identified as Dhani Ram, originally from a village in Raebareli. The ones who were injured were Hanif, Ashfaq, Amit, Ajay Kumar and Shahid.
“The accident took place around 1pm in Prem Enclave, where the construction of the godown was underway. The roof lantern was being installed when the support underneath gave way. And the roof came crashing down,” Amit Kumar, the SHO of Nandgram police station stated.
A police team rushed to the spot and started rescuing the workers trapped under the debris.
“It was learnt that 12 labourers were working at the site when the accident happened. At least six of them were under the debris. With the help of the local residents, the trapped workers were rescued within an hour and rushed to a hospital. Dhani Ram was declared dead on arrival,” Kumar said.
Senior administrative officials reached the site when the rescue was being carried out. The owner of the building was identified as Mohommad Arif Saifi. It was found that the building map had not been approved by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).
Saifi, the police said, is on the run. “We have received a complaint from the family of the labourer who died. A case will be registered by Saturday night under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code,” Kumar said. A senior GDA official said it had come to their notice that the godown was being constructed without an approval from the development authority. “The matter is being investigated,” the official said.
