12 May,2015 06:14 AM IST | | Delaveen Cherag Tarapore and Tanvi Deshpande
After mid-day reported on the rubble from Gokul Niwas, containing gold, cash and valuables, being left out in the open at a ground in Mumbadevi, guarded by only three cops, police have now installed eight CCTV cameras at the spot
Dumping ground
A day after mid-day reported how the debris of the Gokul Niwas building, which caught fire on Saturday and collapsed thereafter, was lying out in the open with its safety in question, the police have installed CCTV cameras at the ground where the debris is being taken, as well as at the site of the crashed building. The mound of rubble contains cash, jewellery and valuables that survived the fire.
The Kalbadevi building came crashing down in three parts after a fire raged on for hours on May 9. The debris of the structure is being dumped at a BMC-owned ground near Mumbadevi temple, which is close to the site.
Since Sunday, nearly 115 truckloads have been unloaded on the ground, of which 71 were dumped yesterday. According to sources, 13 JCB machines were used for this purpose on Saturday, nine on Sunday and seven yesterday. Around 35 labourers were also deployed through the weekend to fill the trucks with the rubble, and 20 worked on the same yesterday.
"This debris may contain 35-40 tolas of gold as well as other valuables," said a policeman on duty. The building housed a gold workshop. Along with this, the debris also has cash, jewellery, and other valuables belonging to the residents as well as the owners of the shops.
Eight cameras have been installed at the ground in Mumbadevi, to guard the valuables in the debris of Gokul Niwas building.
Tight security
Eight surveillance cameras are now keeping an eye on the movements in the ground. The control room for these cameras is also on the same site. Cameras have also been installed at the site of the collapsed building.
Earlier, only three policemen from L T Marg police station were keeping watch on the Mumbadevi ground. Now, 22 policemen from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) have been deployed, with 11 of them working in 11-hour shifts each.
mid-day's report yesterday
A senior police inspector from SRPF is supervising the operation. One constable from L T Marg police station has also been stationed at the spot.
Supriya Patil, police sub-inspector, L T Marg police station, said, "So far, 11 people have approached us to report their missing valuables. The total value of these objects is around Rs 3.5 crore. We expect that this amount will increase."
