Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah visits Bengaluru building collapse site, announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the site of the tragic building collapse in the Huramavu Agara area of Bengaluru on Thursday. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has claimed the lives of eight people and left six others injured, according to official reports.

During his visit, the Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased. He also assured that the government would cover the medical expenses of those who are hospitalised, and the ex-gratia amount for the injured would be determined after visiting them in the hospital. "The government will bear the cost of treatment for the injured, and an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh will be provided to the families of the deceased. Further compensation for the injured will be decided after assessing their condition in the hospital," Siddaramaiah stated.

The Chief Minister further emphasised the need to curb illegal construction activities in the city, directing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to take strict action against unauthorized developments. "This building was unauthorized, and it did not collapse due to the rain but because of sub-standard construction work. A notice has been issued, and suspensions have already been made. Notices will also be served to the zonal officials responsible," he said.

Siddaramaiah also took the opportunity to respond to the opposition BJP, which had criticized the government over the condition of the city following the recent heavy rains. He remarked, "Such incidents occurred even when the BJP was in power. I visited similar spots as the Leader of the Opposition. We are not shirking our responsibilities, and this time, Yelahanka experienced unusually heavy rainfall."

Fire department officials have begun the restoration work at the collapse site, employing heavy machinery to clear the debris. According to Additional Commissioner Satish Kumar, the deceased have been identified as Harman (26), Tripal (35), Mohd Sahil (19), Sathya Raju (25), and Shankar. The injured have been identified as Jagadevi (45), Rasheed (28), Nagaraju (25), Ramesh Kumar (28), and Ayaj.

In connection with the collapse, an FIR has been lodged at Hennur police station against three individuals: Munirajareddy, Mohan Reddy, and Elumalai. Bhuvan Reddy, the son of Munirajareddy, in whose name the building was being constructed, has also been arrested, along with the contractor Muniyappa, who was responsible for building the four-storey structure. According to ANI, these arrests were confirmed by DCP East D Devaraja.

As per ANI reports, the investigation is ongoing to identify all parties responsible for the tragic incident.

(With inputs from ANI)