Seven killed, many feared trapped as two buildings collapse in Greater Noida

Noida (UP) (PTI): Seven people were killed and several feared trapped under the rubble of two adjacent buildings which collapsed in Greater Noida on the outskirts of the national capital, officials said on Wednesday. 

A six-floor under-construction building crashed on a five-storey building next to it, bringing it down as well, in Shahberi village under Bisrakh police station last night. 

Officials said at least one of the buildings was unauthorised. At least 12 labourers were in the under-construction building and all of them were feared trapped, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Arun Kumar Singh said. 

Two bodies were pulled out of the rubble late last night and another removed this morning as 150 personnel as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) mounted a rescue operation along with the police and the fire department. 

Four more bodies were brought out in the evening and later at night. Rescuers deployed heavy machinery to shift concrete slabs and used drills in a bid to reach people buried under the debris. 

Sniffer dogs tried to detect any sign of life A crowd of people hung around the mishap site, including some who believed their relatives were trapped under the debris. 

Some flat owners who were planning to move into their new homes in the next few days also watched the rescue effort. Local politicians and media teams thronged the area as NDRF personnel asked people to keep away. 

Three of the victims have been identified as Ranjit, Shamshad and Priyanka. Three members of Priyanka's family were still trapped, Singh said after her body was pulled out. 

The police have arrested four people, including the landowner. Altogether, 24 people have been named in the FIR. Charges include culpable homicide not amounting to murder. 

Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in Greater Noida Development Authoriity, Vibha Chahal, has been removed from her post. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath also ordered the suspension of two other officials, project manager V P Singh and assistant project manager Akhtar Abbas Zaidi, for dereliction of duty. 

Adityanath asked the Meerut divisional commissioner to conduct an inquiry and determine the extent of illegal construction in the area. Earlier in the day, Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh had also ordered an investigation into the mishap, to be completed within 15 days. 

"They have tried to sell an unauthorised construction to the people. We will initiate proceedings under the National Security Act against them," Singh told PTI. 

NDRF Director General Sanjay Kumar took stock of the rescue operations.