Builder Arrested After Atleast 5 Dead And 9 Injured; Rescue Ops Continue After Building Collapsed In Virar

A 47-year-old builder was arrested on Wednesday after a four-storey building collapsed in Virar East, killing five people and injuring nine others. At least 15 residents were rescued from the debris by Wednesday evening, officials said.

According to the Indian Express, the deceased include members of the Jovil family, who had gathered to celebrate a child’s birthday. One-year-old Utkarsha and her mother, Arohi, were killed when a section of the building gave way. The child’s father, Omkar Jovil, remains missing.

Police identified the arrested builder as Nittal Sane, developer of Ramabai Apartment in Virar’s Narangi area. He was booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) along with provisions of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.

District magistrate Indurani Jakhar, who inspected the site, said multiple agencies are working together on the rescue effort. “The work of removing people from the debris is going on rapidly under the supervision of NDRF,” she said, adding that the revenue department, police, and municipal corporation are coordinating the operations.

According to the Hindu, Ramabai Apartment, constructed in 2011, had earlier been declared unsafe by the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation. However, despite the notice, no action was taken to vacate or demolish the structure.

As night fell, rescue teams continued to search for survivors under the collapsed portions of the building. Authorities said operations would continue until all trapped residents were accounted for.