Head Constable C. Saravanan, 44, was killed and another head constable, K. Kannan, 48, suffered fractures when a portion of a wall collapsed and fell on them at Nelpettai here at midnight Tuesday.
The policemen, attached to the Vilakkuthoon station, were on night duty. They had gone to East Veli Street and asked a small gathering having tea to disperse. As they stood in front of a pesticide shop, a huge portion of the wall of the balcony on the first floor of a dilapidated building crashed.
While Saravanan fell down and debris crushed him, Kannan, who was standing nearby, escaped with injuries. Both were rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital, where Saravanan was declared brought dead. After first aid, Kannan, who had suffered fractures in the hand and the leg, was admitted to a private hospital. Commissioner of Police Prem Anand Sinha and other senior officials rushed to the spot. Madurai Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar and Corporation Commissioner K.P. Karthikeyan inspected the site on Wednesday morning.
Dr. Karthikeyan said the Corporation had directed the owner, Naina Mohammed, in November 2020 to safely demolish the dilapidated building which was posing a threat to public safety. “The owner was supposed to have demolished it after getting permission from the Corporation within 21 days. However, he failed.”
Minister for Commercial Taxes P. Moorthi, DGP C. Sylendra Babu and senior officials paid homage to Saravanan at the police quarters. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced ₹25 lakh in solatium to the family of the deceased head constable and promised his wife a job. The injured head constable would be given ₹5 lakh in compensation.
