Bengaluru rains: Three bodies recovered, 17 feared trapped as under-construction building collapses

Bengaluru, Oct 22 (IANS) An under-construction building collapsed in Bengaluru on Tuesday, following heavy rains that continued to lash the city.  According to sources, about 17 construction labourers are feared trapped inside the debris. 

The police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel have recovered three bodies from the site and rescued another three persons. The rescue work continues for others. The official statement is yet to be made by the police department in this regard.

One of the injured construction workers came out from the debris and informed them about the tragedy. The police, fire force and emergency services personnel rushed to the scene and took up the rescue operation based on the inputs from the injured worker.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D.K. Shivakumar made personal phone calls to the jurisdictional DCP Devaraj and got updates about the incident from him. The CM and Dy CM were briefed about the tragedy and rescue operations.

More details are yet to emerge regarding the tragedy. As per preliminary reports, the management continued the work amid the heavy rains, which led to the tragedy. Minister for Urban Development and local MLA Byrathi Suresh rushed to the spot and monitored the operations.

On the other hand, sources confirmed that the relatives of former President Late Abdul Kalam who lived at the Kendriya Vihar Apartment, inundated by heavy rains were shifted to a safe location by authorities.

The relatives of Late Kalam, the 80-year-old relative and her daughter lived at the D6 Block of the apartment. The authorities have taken out thousands of residents from their flats through boats to the safe location. As per the order of the authorities, hundreds of families from the apartment have moved out from the apartment. The Kendriya Vihar Apartment resembles a lake following the inundation.

Meanwhile, the fire force, emergency services and police have recovered the bodies of two siblings who drowned in the Kengeri Lake. The authorities first found the body of the boy in the morning and later in the evening recovered the body of his sister.

The authorities on Tuesday launched a search operation for the brother and sister. The incident took place on Monday evening when they had gone to fetch water from the lake.

The deceased have been identified as 13-year-old Srinivas and 11-year-old Mahalaxmi. Both are children of Nagamma, a resident of Kengeri.

According to police, Srinivas and Mahalaxmi, who lived close to the lake with their mother, had gone to the banks with a pot to fetch water. They played for some time near the lake and later as Mahalaxmi was trying to fill her pot, she slipped and fell into the water.

Her brother Srinivas cried for help and when no one came for their help, he jumped inside the lake and in a bid to save his sister, both drowned in the lake. Sources also state that they had gone to fetch lotus flowers from the lake.

--IANS

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