Two die on Prestige site

Two die on Prestige site

Staff Reporter



The spot on Prestige premises where two people died in Bangalore on Monday

Bangalore: In a reprise of a tragedy, two labourers died and one was injured at the Prestige- Shantiniketan Township at Whitefield on Monday when mud caved in on them. The police identified the dead as Prasannajit Behara (25) and Sanjeev Dutta (28) and the injured as Kailash Paswan (25).

It was only six weeks ago that a worker died and several were injured when part of the same building collapsed, leading to exhaustive excavation to retrieve the body.

The police said that Monday’s incident occurred at around 5.30 p.m. when construction on the approach to the underground parking lot was going on. It is said that a bulldozer was being used to clear the way when the excavated mud suddenly collapsed, interring Prasannajit Behara and Sanjeev Dutta. The two died of asphyxiation.

Kailash Paswan and others, who were working on the centring near the accident area, rushed to move to safe grounds. In the scramble, Mr. Paswan fell into the pit and injured himself. He was rushed to a hospital.

Commissioner of Police Shankar Bidari, who visited the spot, said: “It seems to be a case of negligence on the part of the construction company and builder. Prima facie, the accident has occurred due to lack of supervision.” A case was registered under Sections 304, 304A and 338 of the Indian Penal Code. Seven people, including vice-president of Prestige Group Ashok Saproo and general manager and project in-charge Muralidhar Rao, were arrested and were later produced before a magistrate.

Prestige Group was not available for comments.

The work at the township was taken up only after the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) gave the go-ahead to the group. On October 23, the 15-storeyed “C” Tower in the structure collapsed, killing one and injuring four workers.

Upa Lokayukta G. Patri Basavana Goud, who had visited the spot then, ordered an inquiry and held officials of the Police Department, Labour Department, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and BDA guilty of “serious dereliction of duty.”