• Source:JND
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Bengaluru Building Collapse: Eight people have died following a building collapse at an under-construction site in Bengaluru’s Horamavu Agara area on Tuesday. Rescue operations are still underway to locate several workers feared trapped beneath the rubble. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the incident and announced financial assistance to the victims' families on Wednesday evening.

The Prime Minister’s Office shared that an ex-gratia payment of Rs two lakh would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, while those injured will receive Rs 50,000. PM Modi also said, "I pray that the injured recover soon. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones."

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According to a Times Of India report, the search-and-rescue operation has successfully saved 14 people from the debris. However, rescuers are still attempting to locate at least four more individuals who remain unaccounted for. The building collapsed around 4 PM on Tuesday and teams have faced challenging weather conditions as they working to find any remaining survivors.

Building Owner Arrested

Officials have taken legal action against the building's owner, Muniraja Reddy, his son Bhuvan Reddy and contractor Muniyappa, all of whom have been arrested. Investigations revealed that the seven-storey structure was built on ‘B’ kharab land, which is not legally permissible for such developments.

As per The Hindu report, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had issued multiple notices to halt construction, but the builder disregarded these warnings. Initially, it was claimed that only two of the floors were illegal, however, further investigation confirmed that the entire building was constructed unlawfully.

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Tushar Giri Nath, the BBMP Chief Commissioner, announced that the BBMP would clear the debris and take necessary actions regarding other buildings on ‘B’ kharab land in the area. He has also suspended the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the Horamavu sub-division for failing to enforce the stop-work orders.

In addition, Lokayukta Justice B.S. Patil visited the site and described the incident as unfortunate, attributing it to negligence. He stated that a thorough inquiry would be conducted to determine how construction was permitted on revenue land and why the BBMP did not intervene sooner.