Tragedy Strikes Bhiwandi: Four Dead and Others Trapped in Building Collapse

New Delhi (India), April 30, 2023: A tragic incident occurred in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi on April 29, when a ground-plus-two-storey building collapsed, leaving four people dead and several others trapped under the debris. The rescue operation, which has been ongoing for over 20 hours, involves the deployment of teams from the police, Target Disaster Response Force (TDRF), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

So far, 10 people have been rescued and are receiving treatment in hospitals, while two children named Prem and Prince have been safely retrieved from the site.

The deceased have been identified as Navnath Sawant, Lalita Ravi Mahto, and five-year-old Sona Mukesh Kori, who was pulled out dead from the debris. Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde visited the Indira Gandhi Hospital on Saturday night to meet with injured survivors and later announced a ₹5 lakh assistance to the kin of the deceased.

Bhiwandi has been the site of numerous building collapses in recent years, with 58 people losing their lives in such incidents over the last four years. In September 2020, 38 people were killed and 25 others injured in the Jilani Building collapse at Bhiwandi’s Patel Compound. To prevent further tragedies, CM Shinde has instructed the Collector and concerned officers to survey buildings that are at risk of collapsing during the monsoon season and proposed plans for redevelopment will be decided soon.

As the rescue operation continues, the authorities are doing everything possible to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by the tragedy. The deployment of teams from the police, TDRF, and NDRF demonstrates the government’s commitment to rescuing those trapped under the debris and preventing further loss of life.