Ghatkopar Building Collapse: 'Charge Shitap with murder,' Survivors appeal to CM

Residents have alleged that the renovation work on the ground floor was the cause of the building's collapse. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The survivors and loved ones of the deceased in the Ghatkopar building collapse have vowed to take their fight against the accused to the logical end, and to that end, have a message for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

They told him yesterday that they would sit on a protest if Shiv Sena leader Sunil Shitap got bail from court.

Also read: Ghatkopar building collapse: How Shiv Sena goon Sunil Shitap got away

They have demanded that Shitap be charged under Indian Penal Code section 302 (murder), and considering his nexus with the police and civic officials, also be booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Currently, Shitap has been arrested under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

CM's assurances
The residents of ill-fated Siddhi Sai building demanded that Shitap's brothers who owned two of the three flats that were illegally modified to create a nursing home and then for a lodge and bar should also be arrested.

Investigators are gathering evidence to establish that work on the alterations damaged the structural stability of the building, leading to its collapse.

Accompanied by their local MLA Ram Kadam, a delegation of survivors and deceaseds' kin met Fadnavis at his Vidhan Bhavan office. Visibly disturbed, they couldn't control their emotions when they came across the CM, who too appeared moved by their plight.

Also read: Mumbai: How Sena goon terrorised collapsed Ghatkopar building residents

Fadnavis assured the delegation all possible assistance and action against the accused. He said the residents would be given temporary accommodation immediately and permanent homes in 15 days. He also promised that the government would help them in redeveloping their building on the same plot of land.

Starting the fight
Vinita Ramchandani, whose father had objected to the illegal alterations to the three ground-floor flats that Shitap and his two brothers had taken over told reporters after the meeting that her father had received death threats.

"My father had been held at gunpoint by Shitap, who had told him that he had the BMC and police under his thumb and nobody could stop him from doing the work," she said.

According to her, her father had taken pictures of the jacks that were installed in place of the pillars, which Shitap had illegally removed. "The evidence is enough to prove the intentional crime that killed 17 innocents," she added.

Also read: Mumbai: Mumbai: Residents of ill-fated Ghatkopar building meet Maharashtra CM

"People are supporting us, but some are being cautious and telling me that I should not speak so much against the mighty because they may harm me. But I'm not scared. We all have lost our family members, and so we, the survivors, are ready to fight with our lives."

Another survivor, Virendra Kumar Singh, said he too had been threatened by Shitap when he had spoken out against the illegal alterations. "Shitap had thrown me out and his henchmen had beaten me up when I'd pointed out that what he was doing was dangerous," Singh added.

What further moved the those present in Vidhan Bhavan was Lalit Tak, who lost his wife Amruta, three-month-old daughter Veronica and mother Pramila. He and his son Virat survived.

"I don't know much about the issue my neighbours faced before I moved in three months ago. But there must be more like Shitap in every locality. We need stringent laws to stop these people," he said, breaking down.