At least two people have died and several others remain trapped following the collapse of a four-storey building in Mohali district, Punjab, on Saturday evening. The tragic incident has left residents in shock and prompted extensive rescue efforts by the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The two victims who have been confirmed dead are a 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh, Drishti Verma, and a man identified as Abhishek from Ambala, Haryana. Drishti, who was pulled from the debris in critical condition, was rushed to Sohana Hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. Abhishek’s body was recovered early on Sunday morning, as rescue teams continued their frantic search through the rubble.
The building, located near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, collapsed on Saturday evening, trapping several people. Rescue operations have been underway for more than 17 hours, with teams working tirelessly to pull survivors from the wreckage. As of Sunday morning, about 60% of the debris had been cleared, and teams remain hopeful of finding additional survivors.
According to police, the collapse may have been linked to unauthorized construction work. “In the primary investigation, it has come to fore that the owner of the building was carrying out excavation work in an adjacent plot without any permission,” said senior police officer Deepak Pareek. He confirmed that a case had been filed against the building owners, Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh, under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide that doesn’t amount to murder.
The incident has drawn attention from local authorities, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressing his condolences and reassuring the public that action would be taken against those responsible. In a social media post, Mann said, “Sad news has been received that a multistorey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) has collapsed. The entire administration and other rescue teams have been deployed at the spot. I am in constant touch with the administration. We pray that there is no further loss of life, and we will take action against the culprits.”
The building collapse is the latest in a series of construction-related accidents in India, raising concerns about safety standards and building regulations. The Punjab government has vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly, while rescue teams continue their mission to locate and save anyone still trapped beneath the debris.
As the rescue operation continues, the people of Mohali are holding their breath, hoping for the safe return of those still missing. The tragedy has also prompted calls for stricter regulations on construction activities in the region.
Sources By Agencies