'Was to go home for Deepavali...' Friend of deceased recalls wish before disaster

NT Bengaluru: Ramkripal Mahto, and Solu Paswan were Amarjith's best buddies and had arrived in Bengaluru back in July this year on a three-month work contract. With Deepavali and Bihar’s celebrated Chhath Puja edging close, their minds were filled with thoughts of the train journey back home and the expectation of spending time with their families. However all that was not to be as Mahto and Paswan were killed in the building collapse on Tuesday. Amarjith claims he was the one who encouraged the duo to accompany him to Bengaluru.

“They were supposed to go back on Monday, October 27 for the festivities. I really don't know how to convey the bad news to Mahto’s wife who’s waiting for him,” he said with a fearful sigh. The 34 yearold Ramkripal Mahto was a carpenter and Solu Paswan was in charge of fixing tiles, Amarjith disclosed. They both hailed from Begusarai in Bihar. Relatives and friends of another deceased, Tulasi Reddy from Andhra Pradesh, waited opposite the collapsed building hoping that he would be still alive. But thier hopes were shattered when finally, his body was retrieved.

Cries of sorrow rent the air as the badly mangled bodies were taken out. Neighbours who spoke to News Trail, recalled the collapse. ''It was as if a fog has suddenly appeared, there was so much dust!,” said one of them.

Building collapse an eye-opener for city: K’taka Lokayukta Lokayukta Justice BS Patil, who visited the spot, termed the collapse an "unfortunate incident" and assured that action will be taken to ensure such incidents do not happen in future. It is an unfortunate incident. Eight innocent lives have been lost. There is suspicion that more people are trapped. We have registered a suo motu case. We are here for an inspection," he told reporters. He said that the inspection has revealed that there was no license or approval for constructing the building.

When such a big building comes with no sanctioned plan, it points to an illegal construction, he said. "It is said that the building was being constructed for the last two years. Still the BBMP officials have not tried to stop it. We have to come to know prima facie that no notice was served when the construction was on from the foundation to the fourth floor," he said.

"We have inquired with the assistant executive engineer , zonal commissioner and joint commissioner and prima facie, we have come to know that there are lapses on the part of officials. They will be served notices and summoned. Such a tragic incident should be an eye opener for Bengalureans," he added.

Soil or structure issues?

Professor Anbazhagan P, who specializes in Geotechnical testing at the Civil Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), feels that the building may have colllapsed due to soil or structural issues. “It is difficult to comment on the reason without a proper investigation. It seems to me that the soil might have lost its bearing capacity,'' he said.